Destroyer Makes 7th U.S. Navy Taiwan Strait Transit in 2021 - USNI News

routine underway operations. US Navy Photo

A U.S. guided-missile destroyer moved through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, marking the seventh transit of the waters this year by an American warship.

Destroyer USS Benfold (DDG-65) performed the transit, U.S. 7th Fleet announced.

“The ship’s transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The United States military flies, sails, and operates anywhere international law allows,” Japan-based 7th Fleet said in a news release.

USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG-54) performed the last Taiwan Strait transit in June, USNI News previously reported.

Benfold earlier this month performed a freedom of navigation operation near the Paracel Islands, USNI News reported at the time. China, Vietnam and Taiwan have all staked claims to the islands.