US Coast Guard ship coasted through the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday. China named it as “public hype”, after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken completed their visit to Beijing just a day before. The politically sensitive way, which sets apart China from the democratically ruled island of Taiwan, is a constant reason of tension as Beijing forces political and military pressure to try to force Taipei to accept Chinese power. “Stratton’s transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The US military flies, sails and operates anywhere international law allows,” said the 7th Fleet.
The mission took place the day after Mr Blinken completed his tour to Beijing, in which the two nations had agreed on the belief of stabilising the aggressive war so that it does not get worse, but failed to create any major breakthrough. Taiwan’s defence ministry said the ship was sailing in a northerly direction and its forces kept an eye on the situation which it described as “normal”. The Chinese coast guard named the ship’s transit as “public hype”. Chinese vessels kept an eye and followed the US ship in every direction of the journey, China Coast Guard spokesman said, adding that China will resolutely safeguard its power and safety, and sea rights and interests