National Security & Defense

Strong signals

The crossover came a week after the U.S. on March 24-25 sailed the USS Curtis Wilbur and Coast Guard cutter Bertholf through the Taiwan Strait, the third such voyage by U.S. warships this year. The incident Sunday also happened within days of Tsai’s visit to Hawaii, where she made new requests for F-16 fighter jets, according to the Japan Times.

The U.S. has sent vessels through the Taiwan Strait almost once a month since October. The USS Stethem and cargo ship USNS Cesar Chavez passed through in February. The USS McCampbell and fleet replenishment oiler USNS Walter S. Diehl sailed there in January. The USS Stockdale and replenishment oiler USNS Pecos sailed the strait in November, preceded by the USS Curtis Wilbur and USS Antietam in October.

Prior to October, there had been only one Taiwan Strait transit by U.S. naval vessels — the USS Mustin and USS Benfold in July — reported in more than a year.