Taiwan Strait, Maritime strait between East China and South China Seas, Asia
The Taiwan Strait is a body of water between the coast of mainland China and the western shore of Taiwan, linking the East China Sea with the South China Sea. The water spans a width of roughly 130 kilometers (80 miles) at its narrowest point.
The strait became a political boundary after the retreat of the Kuomintang to Taiwan in 1949, creating a military and diplomatic divide. Since then it has served as a natural barrier between two separate political systems.
The waters of the strait created natural borders between the mainland Han Chinese civilization and the indigenous populations of Taiwan for thousands of years.
Cargo ships use this waterway to travel between ports in Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia, following established routes through international waters. Weather conditions can make crossings more difficult during typhoon season between summer and autumn.
Rivers carry large amounts of sediment into this strait each year, accumulating on the seabed over thousands of years. These deposits have shaped the underwater geography of this waterway over long periods of time.
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