U.S., Canadian naval vessels make 'routine' transit of Taiwan Strait ...

Taipei, Nov. 2 (CNA) A U.S. destroyer and a Canadian frigate conducted a "routine" transit of the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday to demonstrate a commitment "to a free and open Indo-Pacific," according to the 7th Fleet of the U.S. Pacific Command.

In a statement, the U.S. 7th Fleet said that the "unremarkable [and] unprovocative" transit by the USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115), an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, and the Royal Canadian Navy's Halifax-class frigate the HMCS Ottawa (FFH 341) was made "through waters where high seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law,"

China -- which claims sovereign and administrative rights over the entirety of the Taiwan Strait and regularly protests such freedom-of-navigation operations -- has yet to respond to the latest transit.

According to the U.S. 7th Fleet, Wednesday's transit was made through "a corridor in the strait that is beyond the territorial sea of any coastal state" to "demonstrate the commitment of the United States and our allies and partners to a free and open Indo-Pacific."

"Cooperation like this represents the centerpiece of our approach to a secure and prosperous region where aircraft and ships of all nations may fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows," it said.

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense later also confirmed the transit, saying in a statement that the military was on top of the situation as one U.S. destroyer and one Canadian frigate sailed northward in the Taiwan Strait, and it did not see any irregularities.

U.S. warships have been making routine, almost monthly passages through the Taiwan Strait for the past two-plus years, occasionally accompanied by vessels from allied nations such as Canada.

The last voyage made by U.S. and Canadian warships was on Sept. 9 by the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114) and Royal Canadian Navy Halifax-class frigate HMCS Ottawa (FFH 341).

Despite China's opposition, Taiwan's government has welcomed such transits, describing them as beneficial to promoting regional peace and stability.