U.S., Canadian Warships Transit Taiwan Strait

On Sunday, the USS Higgins and HMCS Vancouver transited the Taiwan Strait, prompting China to assert it was monitoring the operation closely. The U.S. Navy described the maneuver as a routine exercise emphasizing freedom of navigation rights under international law, while China condemned the transit as disruptive to regional peace and stability. This joint naval operation occurred shortly after China's large-scale military drills in the area, which Beijing claimed were aimed at countering 'separatist acts'. The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese military expressed high alert and accused the U.S. and Canada of stirring tensions. Taiwan reiterated its stance that only its people can determine their future, rejecting China's sovereignty claims. The situation highlights ongoing geopolitical frictions in the contested waters of the Taiwan Strait.