China Says U.S. Destroyer and Survey Ship Make First Taiwan Strait Transit of 2026

Chinese authorities reported tracking the passage, underscoring sustained PLA activity near Taiwan.

Overview

The PLA Eastern Theater Command said USS John Finn and USNS Mary Sears transited the Taiwan Strait between Friday and Saturday.
A PLA spokesperson said Chinese naval and air forces monitored and tracked the vessels to ensure an effective response.
Taiwan’s defense ministry reported 25 PLA aircraft operating over the strait during the same period, with six flights crossing the median line.
U.S. Navy and Pentagon officials did not immediately comment on the transit, and no operational imagery was released by either side.
The passage follows late-2025 PLA and China Coast Guard “Justice Mission” drills around Taiwan, as carrier USS Abraham Lincoln operates in the South China Sea near Scarborough Shoal.