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.