A US Navy P-8A Poseidon aircraft passed through the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,
Just a few hours after the meeting between US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chinese Defense Minister Tong Chun.
China considers the island, which has had an independent government since 1949, part of its own and treats the strait as being under Chinese jurisdiction. Taiwan and the United States oppose this, saying the Taiwan Strait is an international waterway.
“By operating in the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States supports the rights and freedom of navigation of all nations,” the US Navy said on Wednesday, according to MTI.
The plane's passage through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States' commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
Taiwan's Defense Ministry said the plane flew south through the strait and that Taiwanese forces did not detect anything unusual.
In December, the US Navy reported that one of its aircraft had crossed the strait, and in response, the Chinese military sent fighter jets to the region for surveillance and warning. The Chinese Defense Ministry said in a statement that the People's Liberation Army will never allow “Taiwan independence separatist activities, collusion and external support to go unchecked.” On the other hand, the Taiwan government rejects China's claims to sovereignty, and says that only the island's people can decide its future.
AP-8A Poseidon – as you can see in the video below – is an American maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft suitable for anti-submarine warfare and ship reconnaissance, and is armed with torpedoes and anti-ship missiles.
Comprehensive analyses, world-changing questions, and visions for the future in one volume.
Follow Index on Facebook too!
