Reuters

US sends warship through Taiwan Strait ahead of presidential inauguration

A U.S. warship sailed through the narrow Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, just under two weeks before Taiwan's new president is set to take office, provoking a strong condemnation from Beijing. China, which claims sovereignty over Taiwan, asserts that it has jurisdiction over the strait, but Taiwan and the United States argue that the strait is an international waterway. U.S. warships, and occasionally Navy patrol aircraft, typically pass through or over the strait around once a month. This latest mission's timing is particularly sensitive due to the upcoming May 20 inauguration of Taiwan President-elect Lai Ching-te, whom China views as a separatist. The U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet stated that the USS Halsey, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, carried out a "routine Taiwan Strait transit" in line with international law, asserting freedoms of navigation and overflight.