Taiwan Strait
The Taiwan Strait is a 180-kilometer (110 mi; 97 nmi)-wide strait separating the island of Taiwan and Asian continent. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to the East China Sea to the north. The narrowest part is 130 km (81 mi; 70 nmi) wide.
| Taiwan Strait | |
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Taiwan Strait Taiwan Strait Taiwan Strait | |
Bathymetry of the Taiwan Strait Area | |
| Location | South China Sea, East China Sea (Pacific Ocean） |
| Coordinates | 24°48′40″N 119°55′42″E |
| Basin countries | People's Republic of China Republic of China |
| Min. width | 130 km (81 mi) |
| Taiwan Strait | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Traditional Chinese | 臺灣海峽 台灣海峽 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 台湾海峡 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hokkien POJ | Tâi-ôan Hái-kiap | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Taihai | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 臺海 台海 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 台海 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hokkien POJ | Tâi-hái | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | Taiwan Sea | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Black Ditch | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 烏水溝 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 乌水沟 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hokkien POJ | O͘ Chúi-kau | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | Black Ditch | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Taiwan Strait is itself a subject of an international dispute over its political status. As the People's Republic of China claims to enjoy "sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the Taiwan Strait" and regards the waterway as "internal territorial waters" instead of being international waters, this means that the Chinese government denies any foreign vessel having the freedom of navigation to cross the strait without Chinese official consent. This position has drawn strong objections from the United States, Australia, France and Taiwan.