US warship sails through sensitive Taiwan Strait for the second time in a month

A US warship has sailed through the sensitive Taiwan Strait for the second time in a month amid heightened tensions between Taiwan and China.

Taiwan's armed forces monitored the ship which it described as being on an "ordinary mission".

China, which considers Taiwan its own, has been angered by the US administration's stepped-up support for the island. The increased support includes more arms sales, US patrols near it and a visit to Washington by Vice President-elect William Lai in February.

Lt. Anthony Junco, a US Seventh Fleet spokesman, however said the ship had conducted a "routine Taiwan Strait transit" in accordance with international law. He named the ship involved as the guided-missile destroyer as USS Barry.

The USS Barry had sailed through the strait two weeks ago too -- on the same day that Chinese fighter jets drilled in waters close to the democratically-ruled island.