Taiwan Strait

Taiwan Strait Latest News

China launches aggressive military drills in Taiwan Strait.

About Taiwan Strait

• The Taiwan Strait is a strategically significant and geopolitically sensitive body of water separating mainland China from the island of Taiwan. 
• Approximately 180 kilometers (110 miles) wide at its broadest point and narrowing to about 130 kilometers (81 miles), it connects the South China Sea to the East China Sea. 
• The strait is relatively shallow, with depths averaging around 70 meters (230 feet), and encompasses the Pescadores (Penghu) Islands, which are administered by Taiwan.
• The strait was named Formosa (“Beautiful”) by Portuguese navigators in the late 16th century; although it is still known in the West by its European name, the Chinese and now most Westerners use the name Taiwan Strait.
• The strait is also one of the most important fishing grounds in China, and more than a hundred economically important fish species are found here.
• The Taiwan Strait is vital for global trade, with nearly 40% of the world's container ships passing through it annually.

Taiwan Strait History

• The Taiwan Strait has been a focal point of military and political tensions since the conclusion of the Chinese Civil War in 1949. 
• Following the retreat of the Nationalist government to Taiwan, the strait became a de facto boundary between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of China (ROC). 
• Notable flashpoints include the Taiwan Strait Crises of 1954–55 and 1958, during which the PRC conducted artillery bombardments of ROC-held islands, prompting U.S. intervention to deter further escalation.

Taiwan Strait FAQs

Q1. What is the strait of Taiwan called?

Ans. It is called the Taiwan Strait, also known historically as the Formosa Strait.

Q2. Why is the Taiwan Strait so important?

Ans. The Taiwan Strait is a vital maritime corridor for international trade and a geopolitical hotspot due to tensions between China and Taiwan.

Q3. How many people died in the Taiwan Strait Crisis?

Ans. During the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis in 1958, approximately 514 Republic of China troops were killed or missing, with 2,200 injured; civilian casualties included 80 killed and 221 injured.

Q4. How deep is the Taiwan Strait?

Ans. The Taiwan Strait has an average depth of about 70 meters (230 feet), with depths ranging from 25 meters in shallow areas to 177 meters in the Penghu Channel.

Source: CNN