A senior US official announced Friday that the United States will conduct "sea and air transit operations" in the Taiwan Strait in the "coming weeks," despite rising tensions between Washington and Beijing over the island, which China considers an integral part of its territory.

 

Kurt Campbell, senior adviser to the US president for Asia, confirmed that despite the tension, US forces would continue to "fly, sail and conduct operations where international law permits, consistent with our long-standing commitment to freedom of navigation," adding, "This includes conducting regular sea and air transit operations in the Taiwan Strait in the coming weeks."