US Navy sends first warship through sensitive Taiwan Strait following elections on island

China objects to American warship’s transit through Tawain Strait, calling it ‘provocative acts’

The US Navy sent a warship through the Taiwan Strait for the first time following presidential elections on the island.

The US Navy said the first such mission of the destroyer USS John Finn in the Taiwan Strait demonstrates America’s “commitment to upholding freedom of navigation for all nations as a principle”.

“The ship transited through a corridor in the Strait that is beyond the territorial sea of any coastal State,” the US 7th Fleet said in a statement.

The Chinese military objected to what it called “provocative acts” and said the mission was "public hyping" that was monitored by the forces.

"Recently, the US military has frequently carried out provocative acts to maliciously undermine regional peace and stability," the People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theatre Command said in a statement.

Taiwan’s defence ministry said that the ship sailed in a southerly direction through the strait, adding it monitored the movement and the situation was “normal” during the latest transit.

It comes as Taiwanese president-elect Lai Ching-te on Thursday expressed hopes over the Washing’s continued support to Taipei as he met the first group of US lawmakers, who arrived on first such American visit since the elections.

US officials meet Taiwan president-elect William Lai (EPA)

“I hope the United States can continue to firmly support Taiwan, deepen bilateral cooperation and relations and work with other democratic partners to ensure peace and prosperity in the region,” Mr Lai said.

China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, has branded Mr Lai as a separatist and “troublemaker” after he swept the presidential polls in a crucial election for the self-governed island amid a concerted campaign of pressure by Beijing.

The Xi Jinping-led government has regularly sent warplanes and warships into the skies and waters around the island over the past four years as it seeks to assert sovereignty claims that the Taipei government rejects.

The transit by the US warship was the latest after the previous passage through the strait in early November. America’s destroyer USS Rafael Peralta was joined by a Canadian frigate.

The US delegation led by Republican Representative Mario Diaz Balart and Democratic Representative Ami Bera is visiting Taiwan to reaffirm America’s “rock solid” commitment to Taiwan following the elections.

Diaz-Balart told Mr Lai his main message was that US support for Taiwan was firm, real and “100 per cent bipartisan”.

“Rest assured that you have the support of the United States Congress,” he said.

Just two days after the elections, Taiwan suffered a major setback after Nauru, a former diplomatic ally, severed ties with Taipei and established a diplomatic alliance with China.

During a ceremony in Beijing on Wednesday, China’s foreign minister Wang Yi and his Nauru counterpart Lionel Aingimea formally signed a document to restore bilateral relations, with ties at the ambassadorial level resuming with immediate effect.

The US called the move “unfortunate” while Taiwan said it was “deeply grieved”.