Taiwan said Thursday a British Navy patrol vessel sailed through the Taiwan Strait, a move that challenges China’s claim to the sensitive waterway.
Beijing views Taiwan as part of its territory and claims jurisdiction over the body of water that separates the self-ruled island from the Chinese mainland.
The United States and other countries view the 180-kilometre (112-mile) Taiwan Strait as international waters that should be open to all vessels.
“The British Royal Navy patrol vessel HMS Spey sailed through the Taiwan Strait on June 18,” Taiwan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
“The UK has once again taken concrete action to uphold freedom of navigation in the Taiwan Strait and demonstrate the firm position that the Taiwan Strait is international waters.”
The last time a British Navy ship transited the Taiwan Strait was in 2021, when the HMS Richmond, a frigate deployed with Britain’s aircraft carrier strike group, sailed through from Japan to Vietnam.
China strongly condemned Britain at the time and deployed its military to follow the vessel.
A Canadian warship passed through the strait in February this year, days after a US destroyer and a US ocean survey ship made the passage.
Taiwan’s military has been reporting near-daily sightings of Chinese warships around its waters, as well as sorties by drones and fighter jets around the island.
Taiwan’s defence ministry said Thursday it had detected 25 Chinese military aircraft and 7 navy vessels in the 24 hours to 6:00 am.
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