The United States is considering sending a warship through the Taiwan Strait, U.S. officials said, in what could be seen as a provocative move that comes at a time when Sino-U.S. ties are under pressure from trade disputes and the North Korean nuclear crisis.
U.S. officials said that the United States had already examined plans for an aircraft carrier passage once this year but ultimately did not pursue them, perhaps because of concerns about upsetting China.
A U.S. warship passage, should it happen, could be seen in Taiwan as a fresh sign of support by President Donald Trump after a series of Chinese military drills around the self-ruled island. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory.