US Navy P-8A Transits Taiwan Strait, Beijing Tracks Throughout Ahead of Xi-Trump Meeting

A US Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft transited the Taiwan Strait through international airspace, according to reports. The US 7th Fleet stated the flight demonstrated Washington's commitment to a "free and open Indo-Pacific."

Beijing Tracks Throughout

The US 7th Fleet said in a statement that by operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the US upheld the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations, according to Reuters on Friday.

China's military tracked the aircraft throughout its transit, according to the state-backed Global Times, with a military source saying "the situation is under control."

Such transits occur every few months and frequently provoke Beijing's ire. In April 2024, a similar transit prompted China to scramble fighter jets, with its Eastern Theater Command vowing to "resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity."

Xi-Trump Meeting Approaches Amid Taiwan Tensions

The flight comes weeks before Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to meet US President Donald Trump in the United States. Both sides are working to stabilize relations strained by Taiwan, trade disputes, and technology restrictions.

China claims Taiwan as its territory and asserts jurisdiction over the strait, while Taiwan and the US maintain that the waterway is international waters.

At a summit in Beijing in May, Xi warned that mishandling the Taiwan issue could push bilateral relations into "extremely dangerous" territory. China regards Taiwan as the most sensitive issue with Washington, repeatedly describing it as a red line that must not be crossed.