PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii - The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mustin (DDG 89) conducted a routine Taiwan Strait transit Aug. 18 local time.
The Mustin conducted the routine transit from the East China Sea to the South China Sea in accordance with international law. U.S. Navy ships routinely transit the strait, there have been 10 transits this year of the Taiwan Strait.
The transit demonstrates the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. U.S. 7th Fleet conducts forward-deployed naval operations in support of U.S. national interests in the Indo-Pacific area of operations. As the U.S. Navy’s largest numbered fleet, 7th Fleet interacts with 35 other maritime nations to build partnerships that foster maritime security, promote stability, and prevent conflict.