China’s military announced on Thursday that it deployed both naval and air assets to monitor and warn off a United States guided missile destroyer, the USS William P. Lawrence, as it transited the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday. The latest encounter highlights the increasingly precarious nature of the strategic waterway at the heart of one of the world’s most volatile flashpoints.
The U.S. Navy conducts what it calls routine “freedom of navigation” operations through the 180-kilometer-wide strait separating Taiwan from mainland China, typically once a month. These transits are designed to affirm international rights to navigate the waters under the rules of international law, which classify the Taiwan Strait as international waters. However, China has consistently rejected that classification, asserting the entire strait falls under its jurisdiction, part of its broader claim over Taiwan.
In a statement released by the Eastern Theatre Command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the Chinese military described the U.S. ship’s passage as a “public hyping” operation, accusing Washington of misrepresenting legal norms and misleading global perception. The PLA claimed it deployed forces to “track, monitor, and warn” the American warship during its transit, though it did not specify the scale or duration of the operation.
“Relevant remarks by the United States have inverted right and wrong, distorted legal principles, confused the public and misled international perception,” said the PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command. “We are telling the United States to stop their distortions and hyping and to work together to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”
The command also released a brief video via Chinese social media, showing a navy sailor observing the American destroyer through binoculars—an image clearly intended to reinforce China’s vigilance in the contested region. The clip, while lacking precise geolocation data, was shared widely across Chinese platforms, underlining the domestic propaganda value Beijing sees in confronting U.S. military activity near Taiwan.
This latest encounter comes just weeks after China staged extensive military drills around Taiwan, involving dozens of fighter jets, warships, and simulated attacks. The exercises, which drew sharp criticism from Taipei and concern from Western capitals, appeared designed to send a message of deterrence amid growing U.S.-Taiwan defense ties.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense confirmed the recent Chinese war games included mock attacks on key Taiwanese infrastructure and incursions by PLA aircraft into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ). While no missiles were fired, the sheer scale of the drills marked one of the most aggressive displays of military force in the region since last year’s large-scale encirclement exercises.
For Washington and its allies, the Taiwan Strait is more than a regional concern—it’s a litmus test for the rules-based international order. U.S. officials have repeatedly affirmed that the strait remains international waters, and that freedom of navigation there is non-negotiable.
Though the Pentagon has not yet issued a statement on the USS William P. Lawrence’s latest transit, previous comments by Indo-Pacific Command and the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet emphasize the routine and lawful nature of such operations. “The United States will continue to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows,” a Navy spokesperson said during a similar incident in February.
Beijing’s quick response and public messaging reflect a growing pattern: assertive military activity paired with tightly controlled information campaigns aimed at domestic and international audiences.
Chinese state-run media framed the incident as another example of U.S. “provocation” in its internal affairs, portraying the operation as destabilizing and unnecessary. Editorials in outlets like the Global Times and People’s Daily claimed that the U.S. was “playing with fire” by “meddling” in the Taiwan issue.
Analysts say China’s goal is twofold: to signal resolve to foreign governments and to reinforce nationalism at home. “Every time the U.S. sails a ship through the strait, Beijing uses it as a moment to flex its muscle and rally support,” said Bonnie Glaser, a China security expert at the German Marshall Fund.
That muscle-flexing isn’t just rhetorical. The PLA has significantly expanded its naval footprint in recent years, adding new destroyers, frigates, and aircraft carriers. Its focus on anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) capabilities, including shore-based missile systems and advanced radar networks, is intended to complicate U.S. and allied operations in any future Taiwan conflict.
While much of the world’s attention focuses on U.S.-China interactions, Taiwan remains the most directly affected party in these high-stakes encounters. The Taiwanese government, under President Lai Ching-te, has continued to strengthen its asymmetric defense capabilities and deepen unofficial ties with Washington and other Western democracies.
Earlier this month, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu called on the international community to “pay close attention to the real risk of conflict in the Taiwan Strait,” warning that Chinese military actions are not merely exercises but rehearsals for a possible future invasion.
Taipei also welcomed the continued U.S. presence in the region. “These transits are a symbol of international support for peace and stability,” said a spokesperson for Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Still, Taiwanese citizens remain uneasy. A recent poll by the Taiwan Public Opinion Foundation found that over 60% of respondents viewed the risk of war with China as “high” or “very high” within the next five years, the highest level since the organization began tracking the issue.
The Taiwan Strait, while just over 100 miles wide at its narrowest point, represents far more than a regional boundary. It’s a vital artery for global trade—about half of the world’s container ships pass through it each year. Any conflict there would disrupt global supply chains, particularly in semiconductors, a sector where Taiwan is the world leader.
But more than that, the strait is the most tangible manifestation of the broader U.S.-China rivalry—a conflict of systems, values, and influence in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. With each new encounter, the risk of miscalculation or unintended escalation grows.
The USS William P. Lawrence’s passage is just the latest signal that the United States will not cede influence or operational presence in the region. For its part, China’s reaction shows it will not tolerate what it perceives as foreign interference in its core interests.
As of now, there’s no sign either side is backing down. The U.S. is expected to continue its regular transits, and China is likely to respond with equally regular warnings. Both militaries have developed hotlines and communication channels meant to avoid conflict, but the potential for escalation—especially in a fast-moving naval or air encounter—remains a serious concern.
The U.S. has also increased joint patrols and exercises with allies like Japan, Australia, and the Philippines, signaling a broader coalition forming to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific. Meanwhile, China continues to grow its military presence, including recent deployments to disputed islands in the South China Sea.
