ANNUAL EVENTS: Premier William Lai said that Taiwan appreciates US efforts to maintain peace and stability in the region and that the passage of US warships is routine
Taipei Times
Date: Oct 24, 2018
By: Bloomberg
The Ministry of National Defense on Monday evening confirmed that two US warships had
The USS Antietam, a US Navy guided-missile cruiser that passed through the Taiwan Strait on Monday, is pictured in an undated photograph. Photo: AP
sailed through the Taiwan Strait with a northerly bearing, after entering the channel from the seas near Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻).
Premier William Lai (賴清德) yesterday said Taiwan respects the US’ right to exercise freedom of navigation in international seas, after a reporter asked at a Legislative Yuan news conference whether the US gave prior notification to Taiwan of the activity.
Lai said that the government appreciates US efforts to maintain peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and that the passage of US warships should be viewed “as routine events that the US engages in every year.”
The US sailed warships through the Strait 10 times in 2015 alone, he added.
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