US Navy Destroyer sails through politically sensitive Taiwan Strait ahead of Trump trade talks with China

Navy once again sends warships through waterway ahead of high-level bilateral negotiations

The United States has once again sailed a pair of Navy warships through the politically-sensitive Taiwan Strait ahead of high-level trade negotiations between Donald Trump’s administration and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

A spokesperson for the Navy’s Seventh Fleet confirmed the passage of the US Navy destroyer, the USS Curtis Wilbur and the US Coast Guard cutter, the USCGC Bertholf, through the region, saying “The ships’ transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the US commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific” in a statement to CNN.

China previously expressed concerns about the passage of US warships through the roughly 160 kilometre (100 mile)-wide waterway when the Navy carried out a similar operation just days before Mr Trump and Mr Xi Jinping held bilateral meetings last year.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement on Saturday the upcoming meetings are “aimed at improving the trade relationship between the United States and China.”

Tensions have flared in recent years between China and Taiwan, which considers itself a sovereign state — despite Beijing declaring ownership over the East Asian island.

The bitterness has escalated in part due to US challenges of China’s claim to sovereignty over virtually the entire South China Sea. In late September, a Chinese destroyer came close to colliding with a US destroyer warship in the South China Sea in what the Navy called an “unsafe and unprofessional manoeuvre.”

As the US and China became entrenched in a tit-for-tat exchange of increasing tariffs, Mr Trump’s administration sought to make ship passages through the strait a more common occurrence. The Navy has reportedly sailed warships in the waterway at least three times this year, as opposed to nearly once annually prior to July.

China regards Taiwan as its own territory to be brought under its control by force if necessary.

The sides split amid civil war in 1949 and most Taiwanese favour retaining their current de-facto status of political independence while maintaining close economic ties with China.

There is no international law restricting civilian or military shipping from passing through the Taiwan Strait.

The Associated Press contributed to this report