WASHINGTON- The passage of two U.S.

warships on Sunday through international waters in the Taiwan

Strait is “very consistent” with the U.S. “one China policy” and

seeking a free and open Indo-Pacific, a White House official

said.

“This was planned long ago,” John Kirby, National Security

Council spokesperson, said on CNN, of the first transit of the

strait by U.S. warships since House of Representatives Speaker

Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan earlier this month, enraging China.

The passage by the two vessels is “very consistent with our

one China policy, very consistent with our desire to make sure

that we can continue to work toward a free and open

Indo-Pacific,” he said.

Source: ASEAN Exchanges