<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Two US warships are passing through the Taiwan Strait, the US Navy has announced.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>It is the first such operation to take place since tensions between Taiwan and China increased following a visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan earlier this month.</div><div><br></div><div>The US and other Western navies have routinely sailed through the strait in recent years.</div><div><br></div><div>China reacted to Ms Pelosi's visit by holding military drills in the area.</div><div><br></div><div>On Sunday, Taiwan's defence ministry says it detected 23 Chinese aircraft and eight Chinese ships operating around Taiwan.</div><div><br></div><div>Among the detected aircraft, seven crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait - an unofficial barrier between Taiwan and China.</div><div><br></div><div>Washington says its two guided-missile cruisers - the USS Antietam and the USS Chancellorsville - are demonstrating freedom of navigation through international waters.</div><div><br></div><div>Beijing views such actions as provocative and maintains that the island of Taiwan is an integral part of Chinese territory.</div><div><br></div><div>On Sunday, its military said it was monitoring the two vessels' progress, maintaining a high alert, and was ready to defeat any provocation, Reuters news agency reports.</div><div><br></div><div>The US Navy said in a statement that the transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrated the "United States' commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific".</div><div><br></div><div>"These ships transited through a corridor in the strait that is beyond the territorial sea of any coastal state," the statement added.</div><div><br></div><div>Taiwan's defence ministry said the ships were sailing in a southerly direction and that its forces were observing, but that "the situation was as normal".</div><div><br></div><div>Taiwan is self-ruled, but China sees it as a breakaway province with which it will eventually unite, with force if necessary.</div><div><br></div><div>Taiwan has become yet another flashpoint between Washington and Beijing in recent years, with the US walking a diplomatic tightrope on the issue.</div><div><br></div><div>The US abides by the "One China" policy - a cornerstone of the two countries' diplomatic relationship which recognises only one Chinese government - and has formal ties with Beijing and not Taiwan.</div><div><br></div><div>But it also maintains a "robust unofficial" relationship with the island. That includes selling weapons for Taiwan to defend itself.</div><div><br></div><div>China and Taiwan: The basics</div><div><br></div><div>Why do China and Taiwan have poor relations? China sees the self-ruled island as a part of its territory and insists it should be unified with the mainland, by force if necessary</div><div><br></div><div>How is Taiwan governed? The island has its own constitution, democratically elected leaders, and about 300,000 active troops in its armed forces</div><div><br></div><div>Who recognises Taiwan? Only a few countries recognise Taiwan. Most recognise the Chinese government in Beijing instead. The US has no official ties with Taiwan, but does have a law which requires it to provide the island with the means to defend itself - BBC</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>