The most recent publicly reported US warship transit through the Taiwan Strait was by the guided-missile destroyer USS William P. Lawrence (DDG-110) on April 23, 2025.
Key Details:
- The USS William P. Lawrence conducted a "routine Taiwan Strait transit...through waters where freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law," according to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
- The transit occurred through a corridor in the strait beyond the territorial sea of any coastal state.
- China's military monitored the transit, stating they dispatched naval and air forces to track the American ship's movements.
- The transit was detected by private-sector observers using commercial websites monitoring maritime traffic and then reported by news outlets.
- While the transit is described as routine by the US, China considers Taiwan its most sensitive diplomatic issue and often criticizes such transits.
