Taiwan Strait ( UPSC Prelims)

EN ह

News Context

 ● China initiated fresh military exercises titled "Strait Thunder-2025A" in the central and southern regions of the Taiwan Strait.  
      ○ A strait is a slender waterway linking two larger water bodies.

About Taiwan Strait (or Black Ditch)

 ● Formosa: Originally named "Beautiful" by Portuguese explorers in the late 16th century.  
  ● Geographical Location: Positioned between China's Fukien province and Taiwan.  
  ● Connecting Waters: The strait stretches from southwest to northeast, linking the South China Sea and the East China Sea.  
  ● Global Importance: Serves as a crucial international shipping route, with 44% of the world's container fleet passing through.  
  ● Median Line (Davis Line): An unofficial boundary running roughly down the center of the Taiwan Strait, not acknowledged by China.