US Navy's First Taiwan Strait Transit of 2024 Sparks Tensions

China Accuses US of 'Abusing International Law', US Defends Action as Upholding Freedom of Navigation

The US Navy's USS John Finn sailed through the Taiwan Strait, marking the first such transit of 2024 and the first since Taiwan's recent elections.
China accused the US of 'abusing international law' and engaging in 'dangerous provocations', urging the US to stop such actions and to restrain its troops.
The US defended the transit as an exercise of freedom of navigation in accordance with international law, and as a demonstration of its commitment to uphold this freedom for all nations.
The transit comes amid heightened tensions in the region, with China increasing its military activities around Taiwan, which it views as part of its territory.
Analysts suggest that the US's military activity in the region is aimed at deterring China from launching any attack on Taiwan or enforcing its territorial claims in disputes with smaller neighbors.