China Says It Monitored U.S. Naval Transit Through Taiwan Strait

Beijing says its military tracked U.S. warships during their passage, reaffirming high alert status amid ongoing regional tensions.

By: Haitian Prime News|January 17, 2026|Beijing / Taiwan Strait

China’s military announced that it monitored the transit of two United States naval vessels through the Taiwan Strait this week, highlighting continued friction between Beijing and Washington over military activity in the strategically sensitive waterway.

In a statement released via an official WeChat account, the People’s Liberation Army said it followed the guided-missile destroyer USS Finn and the oceanographic survey ship USNS Mary Sears as they transited the strait on January 16 and 17.

A spokesperson for the PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command stated that Chinese forces remained “on high alert at all times” during the passage and emphasized the military’s commitment to “resolutely defend national sovereignty and security.”

The Taiwan Strait, which separates mainland China from Taiwan, remains a frequent flashpoint in U.S.–China relations. Beijing considers Taiwan a part of its territory and regularly condemns foreign military activity it views as provocative. The United States, while not formally recognizing Taiwan as a sovereign state, maintains that the strait constitutes international waters and continues naval transits in support of freedom of navigation.

U.S. naval passages through the Taiwan Strait are routinely followed by statements from Chinese authorities, particularly as broader tensions persist over Taiwan, regional security, and military posture in the Indo-Pacific.

U.S. defense officials did not immediately comment on China’s statement.

Sources
People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theatre Command (official WeChat statement)
Ground News summary