US Navy flies through Taiwan Strait ahead of Xi-Trump meetingA US Navy aircraft flew through the Taiwan Strait on Friday, putting one of the most sensitive issues in US-China relations back in focus just weeks before a planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.The US Navy's P-8A Poseidon aircraft transited the strait in international airspace, with the US 7th Fleet saying the operation demonstrated Washington's commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific."By operating ​within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international ​law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations," the 7th Fleet said in a statement."The aircraft's transit of the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States' commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The ‌United States military flies, sails, and operates anywhere international law allows."The timing of the operation is notable as Washington and Beijing prepare for a potential Xi-Trump meeting next month, with both sides seeking to stabilise relations strained by disputes over Taiwan, trade and technology.China tracks US aircraftChina's military tracked and monitored the US aircraft throughout its transit, the state-backed Global Times reported, citing a military source who said the "situation was under control".The Taiwan Strait has long been a flashpoint between Washington and Beijing. US military ships and aircraft periodically operate through or over the waterway, moves that China strongly opposes.Beijing claims Taiwan as its territory and says it has jurisdiction over the strait. Washington and Taipei maintain that the Taiwan Strait is an international waterway and that freedom of navigation applies there.The latest US operation therefore carries a message beyond the aircraft's routine patrol role. Washington is reaffirming its interpretation of international law in a waterway that Beijing considers closely tied to its sovereignty claims.Why Taiwan matters before Xi-Trump talksThe planned meeting between Xi and Trump comes as the US and China look to prevent tensions over Taiwan, trade and technology restrictions from derailing their broader relationship.Taiwan remains among Beijing's most sensitive issues. China has repeatedly called the Taiwan question an internal affair and a core national interest, warning that it is a red line that must not be crossed.Taiwan, however, rejects China's sovereignty claims and says its future can only be decided by its people.The US does not have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan but maintains close unofficial ties with Taipei and is bound by US law to provide Taiwan with defensive support.Against this backdrop, the Taiwan Strait transit allows Washington to reinforce its position without directly altering its broader diplomatic engagement with Beijing.The operation also comes at a time when both sides are trying to stabilise relations. The planned Xi-Trump meeting could address disputes over trade, technology restrictions and Taiwan, making the issue particularly sensitive ahead of the talks.For Beijing, the central question remains sovereignty over Taiwan and the surrounding waters. For Washington, the issue is maintaining access to what it considers international waters.Friday's flight brought those competing positions into focus just as the two leaders prepare to sit across the table.