USS Sampson is a multi-mission surface combatant that can perform various missions including anti-air, anti-submarine and anti-surface. Credit: US Navy/US Indo-Pacific Command.

The US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, USS Sampson (DDG 102), has conducted a routine transit in the Taiwan Strait.

The transit through the international waters was performed on 26 April and was in compliance with the international laws.

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The sailing shows commitment of the US for a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

The DDG 102 destroyer is forward deployed to the US 7th Fleet area of operations.

The 7th Fleet routinely operates and interacts with around 36 maritime nations and conducts missions to preserve and protect the Indo-Pacific Region.

The 36 nations include Russia, North Korea, India, China along with five US mutual defence treaty allies, namely the Philippines, Thailand, Australia, the Republic of Korea and Japan.

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Additionally, the US 7th Fleet controls nearly ten to 14 cruisers and guided missile destroyers at a time, to carry different missiles including long range Tomahawk land attack missiles and anti-aircraft missiles.

In a statement, US 7th Fleet said: “The United States military flies, sails, and operates anywhere international law allows.”

Previously, the US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS John Finn (DDG 113) conducted the routinely Taiwan Strait transit in March last year.

Meanwhile, the military of China has reportedly opposed the sailing.

In a report published by Reuters, the China People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Eastern Theatre Command said that ‘its forces monitored and warned the ship.’

In a statement, PLA Eastern Theatre Command was quoted by the news agency as saying: “The US frequently carries out such provocative actions, sending wrong signals to ‘Taiwan independence’ forces, and deliberately undermining the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait. We firmly oppose it.”