TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A U.S. submarine hunting aircraft flew over the Taiwan Strait on Friday (April 28), while France confirmed that one of its naval vessels patrolled the strait earlier this month.

The U.S. Navy's Seventh Fleet on Friday said a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon anti-submarine warfare jet had "transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace" by "operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law." The press release said the U.S. "upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations."

The Seventh Fleet said the aircraft's flight "demonstrates the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific." The statement added the "United States will continue to fly, sail, and operate anywhere international law allows including within the Taiwan Strait."

Also Friday, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) said that 38 People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military aircraft and six People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels had been tracked around Taiwan. Among the aircraft that entered Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) was a TB-001 reconnaissance (RECCE) and combat drone.

The TB-001 RECCE drone, dubbed the "Twin-Tailed Scorpion," entered the southwest corner of the ADIZ from the southwest edge of the median line. It then flew to the southeast, east, north, and northwest sections of the ADIZ before exiting over the northeast end of the median line.

This marks the first time that the MND has publicly acknowledged that a Chinese combat aircraft had encircled Taiwan in this way.

French magazine Challenges on April 11 reported that the Prairial, a Floreal-class surveillance frigate of the French Navy had steamed through the Taiwan Strait over the preceding weekend.

During a press conference held after meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) at the Office of the President on Friday, French Senator Alain Richard, said the security of Taiwan is the French parliament's main concern, as has been demonstrated by the "passage of our frigate."