🚨 NEWS: The USS Milius (DDG 69) conducted a routine Taiwan Strait transit on April 16 local time.
The @USNavy guided missile destroyer “transited through a corridor in the Strait that is beyond the territorial sea of any coastal State.”
Official statement:
Live thread tracking US Navy movements in the Western Pacific based on public data:
From @USNINews:
Contrary to international law, China requires permission from foreign warships to transit the strait.
The transit of Milius is the first announced Taiwan Strait transit since the guided-missile USS Chung-Hoon (DDG-93) made the passage in January.
This is the *third* freedom of navigation operation for Japan-based Milius in less than one month:
March 24: Sailed near the Paracel Islands (claimed by PRC).
April 10: Passed within 12 nautical miles of Mischief Reef & the Spratly Islands.
April 16: Transits Taiwan Strait.
PLAN response:
Update from @USNINews:
In a Monday statement, the PLA Eastern Command said the Chinese monitored the passage from the Milius transit.
“The troops of the PLA Southern Theater Command will always stay on high alert and resolutely safeguard China’s national sovereignty and… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
News this morning: China announced “major military activity” to take place tomorrow April 18 in the Yellow Sea.
I’ve been tracking the latest developments in a live thread here:
The US, Japan, and South Korea militaries are operating near the Korean Peninsula as of Monday, April 17.
South Korea’s navy said Monday’s three-way naval drills took place in international waters off the country’s eastern coast.
More detailed analysis here:
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