First US Navy ships sail through Taiwan Strait since Trump inauguration

BEIJING — 

Two U.S. Navy ships sailed done the delicate Taiwan Strait this week successful the archetypal specified ngo since President Donald Trump took bureau past month, drafting an aggravated absorption from China, which said the ngo accrued information risks.

The U.S. Navy, occasionally accompanied by ships from allied countries, transits the strait astir erstwhile a month. China, which claims Taiwan arsenic its ain territory, says the strategical waterway belongs to it.

China's subject said the 2 U.S. ships, which it named arsenic the destroyer Lyndon B. Johnson and the survey vessel Bowditch, had passed done the strait betwixt Monday and Wednesday, adding that Chinese forces had been dispatched to support watch.

"The U.S. enactment sends the incorrect signals and increases information risks," the Eastern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army said successful a connection aboriginal Wednesday.

The U.S. Navy confirmed the transit. The past publically acknowledged U.S. Navy ngo successful the strait was successful precocious November, erstwhile a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol craft flew implicit the waterway.

The past clip a U.S. Navy vessel was confirmed to person sailed done the strait was successful October, a associated ngo with a Canadian warship.

China's subject operates regular successful the strait arsenic portion of what Taiwan's authorities views arsenic portion of Beijing's unit campaign.

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying lone Taiwan's radical tin determine their future.