A U.S. and a Canadian warship have passed through waters separating Taiwan and China, a week after Beijing held large-scale military drills in the sensitive passage.
The United States and its allies regularly cross through the 180-kilometer Taiwan Strait to reinforce its status as an international waterway, angering Beijing.
China's Communist Party has never ruled Taiwan, but it claims the island as part of its territory and has said it will not renounce the use of force to bring it under its control.
"The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76) and Royal Canadian Navy Halifax-class frigate HMCS Vancouver (FFH 331) conducted a routine Taiwan Strait transit on Oct 20," the U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet said in a statement.
"Higgins and Vancouver's transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrated the United States' and Canada's commitment to upholding freedom of navigation for all nations as a principle."
China said Monday that the U.S. and Canadian actions had disrupted "peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait".
"The PLA Eastern Theater Command organized naval and air forces to monitor and remain on alert throughout the transit, handling the situation according to laws and regulations," military spokesperson Captain Li Xi said in a statement.
Taiwan's defense ministry said Monday the U.S. and Canadian ships travelled "from south to north" of the strait and the situation in the surrounding sea and airspace "remained normal".
Beijing sent a record number of military aircraft as well as warships and coast guard vessels to encircle Taiwan on October 14 in the fourth round of major drills in just over two years.
Taiwan deployed "appropriate forces" and put outlying islands on heightened alert in response to the exercises, which Beijing said were a "stern warning to the separatist acts of 'Taiwan Independence' forces".
Beijing has ramped up military pressure on Taipei in recent years, deploying on a near-daily basis warplanes and other military aircraft as well as ships around the island.
Taiwan's defense ministry said Monday it had detected 14 Chinese military aircraft and 12 navy vessels in the 24 hours to 6 a.m.
© 2024 AFP
22 Comments
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JJE
Another provocation and affront to public decency.
Important to also observe Taiwan province in a non-UN recognized entity.
WiseOneIn Kansai
There is an obvious difference in reporting of the passing through of the Taiwan Strait.
So when China enters another country's territory, it's not a provocation.
China has no shame!!
fallaffel
Important to observe that China doesn't observe UN Convention on Law of the Sea decisions. Also not really important, but we observed that you recognized Taiwan as a country in your past posts, which means you know the reality (although maybe not supposed to say it out loud).
wallace
International lanes require no one's permission.
JJE
Nor does Taiwan province observe mentioned UNCLOS 'ruling'. Explain that one away.
Always?
Meaningless. If America hand any balls it would end the one china policy and recognize Taiwan as independent country. And so should Japan.
fallaffel
Taiwan was not involved in the case. Only China and the Philippines.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Excellent. Good to see free countries exercising their right of passage in international waters.
jeeps
deanzaZZR
Learn some history. Taiwan is an island province of China. The defeated KMT government fled to the island. The USA interfered in the Chinese civil war when Mainland China was weak by supporting the corrupt and failed KMT regime.
TaiwanIsNotChina
We're on the Taiwan strait here, not the SCS.
You assured us up and down repeatedly that everything 12 nm from the coast was international waters. You made a big deal of it on multiple articles. So 100% legal but a provocation and an affront to public decency somehow?
Important to observe that Taiwan has more international recognition than Russia's disgraces.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Fair enough, but I don't see your country being so tough.
TaiwanIsNotChina
The US was allowed to back the legal government of China at its request. And Taiwan is the only uncorrupted former piece of China at this point.
deanzaZZR
The PRC government is not saying that the transit is unlawful under international law only that it is provocative given current circumstances.
JJE
The various islands occupied by non-UN recognized Taiwan province in the actual strait actually cover it all (I.E. it is all Beijing's property/sea by right). Anyone can ascertain this provable fact by checking a map.
TaiwanIsNotChina
So 100% legal but provocative. Well, keep your imagined provocations to yourself.
TaiwanIsNotChina
https://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/part8.htm
China needs to do some more construction work before claiming there is a land bridge to Taiwan since ancient times.
konjo4u
Terrorizing civilians and disrupting commerce is a terrible policy for any government.
TaiwanIsNotChina
I agree, the PRC should stop doing that.
Eastmann
provoking new conflict-exactly what Japan "needs"...
Fighto!
Freedom of The seas. Good on Canada and The US.
If this antagonizes the inferior Chinese, that's a bonus. Nothing but losers.
GDBD
Taiwan is not a country. Not even recognized by the aggressors that sent their war ships. If they really love Taiwanese people that much, just recognize it and defend it using international law. But they don’t because they are hypocrites to the least.
All the talk of freedom is total BS. They don’t have balls to face China directly because they value their wealth which would decrease if they were to battle China directly. They just hope someone else would do it for them. Does not matter if it is Taiwan, Japan or Philippines. Let’s see which one falls for that.
they will sell Taiwan in an instant if that ever means increasing their wealth.
the reason they keep sending their warship and act like a fluffer to Taiwan is coming from a bad place with the intention of holding China back so they can keep their dominance. In western minds, the moral compass always points to money.