Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/01/24
By: Elaine Hou, Chiang Chin-yeh and Ko Lin

USNS Walter S.Diehl / Image taken from Wikipedia: Public domain

Taipei, Jan. 24 (CNA) Two United States Navy vessels sailed through the Taiwan Strait Thursday, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) confirmed that day.

The ministry did not provide any additional information on the transit, other than to say Taiwan’s military is in full control of the situation.

The passage of the vessels comes at a time of increasing tensions between Washington, Beijing and Taipei on issues related to trade as well as political and military matters.

In a CNN report, Thursday U.S. Pacific Fleet spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Tim Gorman was quoted as saying that the naval passage was a routine transit conducted “in accordance with international law.”    [FULL  STORY]