An American warship sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Thursday, the US Navy said, in a move likely to anger Beijing.

The guided missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon "conducted a routine Taiwan Strait transit Jan. 5 (local time) through waters where high-seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law," the Navy said in a statement.

"Chung-Hoon's transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States' commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The United States military flies, sails and operates anywhere international law allows," it added.

Taiwan lives under constant threat of an invasion by China, which claims the self-ruled, democratic island as part of its territory to be seized one day -- by force if necessary.

Washington diplomatically recognizes Beijing over Taipei, but maintains de facto relations with Taiwan and supports the island's right to decide its own future.

Tensions in the Taiwan Strait soared to their highest level in years in August 2022 after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei, with Beijing staging days of air and sea exercises around the island.

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Ex-NATO chief says Europe 'too naive' on China's Taiwan threats
Taipei (AFP) Jan 5, 2023
European powers must do more to dissuade China from invading Taiwan, including being prepared to unleash painful economic sanctions and train Taiwanese troops, the former head of NATO said Thursday. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who is visiting Taipei, said European and NATO powers were "too naive" in the run-up to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and risked repeating the same mistake with Beijing. Taiwan lives under constant threat of invasion by China, which claims the self-ruled democracy as part of its ... read more