Two US Navy Ships Sail Though Taiwan Strait

Two American warships have sailed through the Taiwan Strait, the US navy said on Thursday, as Washington also kicked off multinational naval drills near Guam in operations bound to provoke a rebuke from Beijing.

The navy said the USS Preble, a destroyer, and USNS Walter S. Diehl, a supply ship, conducted a routine transit "in accordance with international law".

"The ships' transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the US commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific," the navy said.

"The US Navy will continue to fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows."

In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing said it was closely monitoring the situation and it had already made solemn representations over the move.

US warships periodically conduct "freedom of navigation" exercises in the narrow waterway, triggering angry responses from Beijing every time.

Beijing views any ships passing through the strait as essentially breaching its sovereignty, while the US and many other nations view the route as international waters open to all.

The transit comes as the US, Japan, South Korea and Australia kicked off operation "Pacific Vanguard" near Guam, bringing together more than 3,000 sailors from the four countries.

Drills will focus on "live fire exercises, defensive counter-air operations, anti-submarine warfare, and replenishment at sea," the US 7th Fleet said.

In April, Beijing said its navy warned off a French warship that had entered the Taiwan Strait and lodged an official complaint with Paris. (AFP)