The U.S. Navy sailed two warships through the Taiwan Strait on Sunday, marking the first transit since Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) visit to Taiwan earlier this month.
The U.S. 7th Fleet said that the USS Antietam and USS Chancellorsville conducted a “routine” transit.
“These ships transited through a corridor in the Strait that is beyond the territorial sea of any coastal State,” officials said, adding that the movement of the guided-missile cruisers shows that the U.S. is committed “to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
“The [ships’] transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific,” officials said. “The United States military flies, sails, and operates anywhere international law allows.”
Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan marked the first time a high-ranking U.S. official visited the country in 25 years.
Her visit angered Chinese officials, who warned the Speaker against making the trip.
Beijing, which views Taiwan as part of China’s territory, has stepped up its military and domestic pressure against Taiwan in recent months.
In its own statement, the Chinese military’s Eastern Theater Command said it would monitor the two U.S. warships, adding that it would be “ready to thwart any provocation,” according to CNN.