U.K. Navy’s patrol vessel sailed through Taiwan Strait, says Taipei

• Location & Dimensions:

  • A 180-km-wide strait separating Taiwan from mainland Asia.

  • Connects the South China Sea to the East China Sea.

  • Narrowest point: 130 km (81 mi).

• Historical Names:

  • Formosa Strait (from Taiwan’s old name, Formosa).

  • Strait of Fokien/Fujian (after China’s Fujian Province).

  • Black Ditch (translation from Hokkien & Hakka languages).

This strait is a key maritime passage in East Asia.