On Friday, China confirmed it had dispatched naval and aerial forces to keep an eye on American and British warships cruising through the Taiwan Strait, a crucial shipping route that Beijing claims as its own territory.
The USS Higgins, a United States Navy vessel, along with the British HMS Richmond, was accused of “provoking trouble” by a spokesperson from the Chinese military.
Major Jason Welch from the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command clarified in an email to Newsweek: “The USS Higgins (DDG 76), an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, and the Royal Navy frigate made a standard transit through the strait on September 12 (local time), navigating through waters where the principles of freedom of navigation and overflight are upheld under international law.”
Welch added, “They were in a corridor of the strait that lies outside any coastal state’s territorial waters.”
The Chinese Defense Ministry could not be reached for comment following the incident.
Importance of This Situation
The Taiwan Strait forms a narrow divide of only 80 miles at its thinnest point, separating mainland China from Taiwan, which operates democratically and maintains that it is independent. Despite Taiwan’s claims, Beijing insists that the island historically belongs to China. This area has long been a point of tension between the two sides, and given China’s military strength, there are genuine fears that they might someday act on its threats to assert those claims.
To maintain equilibrium, the U.S. and other Western powers have occasionally sent warships through this strait, not only to demonstrate military presence but also to contest Chinese assertions that foreign military vessels need approval to pass through its waters.
Just last week, China expressed similar objections toward Canada and Australia as they similarly navigated warships in the vicinity.
Key Points to Note
Shi Yi, representing the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, claimed that the actions of the U.S. and U.K. were misunderstood, thus disturbing peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
According to a brief update online, Shi remarked that Chinese forces were mobilized to oversee the passage of the foreign ships.
The Higgins and Richmond, a Type 23 frigate, recently appeared alongside the HMS Prince of Wales, the flagship of the British Navy, during rare operations in the Western Pacific.
The Prince of Wales is returning home after a prolonged deployment in the Indo-Pacific that started back in April. Notably, it did not navigate through the Taiwan Strait, despite earlier talks of this symbolic maneuver.
The British Defense Ministry informed Reuters that the Richmond passing through the Strait represented “a routine passage” as it is part of movements associated with their aircraft carrier group.
On Thursday, a satellite image showcased the state-of-the-art Chinese aircraft carrier, the yet-to-be-commissioned Fujian, operating in the same waters as well.
The Higgins is stationed in Yokosuka, Japan, and is part of Destroyer Squadron 15 within the Pacific Fleet. Just last month, Chinese officials claimed to have forced this ship away from areas controlled by them in the contested South China Sea.
Reactions to the Event
Ely Ratner, who previously held the role of assistant secretary of defense responsible for Indo-Pacific security affairs during the Biden administration, commented on X, saying: “It’s great to see the U.S. and U.K. together in the Taiwan Strait, especially alongside Canada and Australia in their naval efforts.”
He emphasized the importance of showing that nations from within and beyond the Indo-Pacific region are keen on maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
Major Jason Welch reiterated to Newsweek: “The Higgins‘ passage through the Taiwan Strait underscores the United States’ commitment to ensuring freedom of navigation. Rights for navigation should remain unhindered. We dispute any claim of sovereignty or jurisdiction that hampers lawful uses of the sea and airspaces in this vital region.”
What’s Next?
Despite the advised reduction in public confrontations regarding China’s maritime claims during the Trump presidency to mitigate tensions, an ongoing, discreet military presence from the U.S. and its allies off the coast of China is likely to persist.
Update 9/13/25, 2:50 a.m. ET: This article was updated to incorporate a roll-out from the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
