BEIJING: China announced today that its troops were in a state of “constant high alert” following the passage of US and Canadian warships through the Taiwan Strait. This joint passage marks the second such occurrence in two months.
The USS Rafael Peralta, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, and the Royal Canadian Navy’s Halifax-class frigate, HMCS Ottawa, conducted a “routine” transit through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, as reported by the US Navy.
Senior Colonel Shi Yi, a spokesman for China’s Eastern Theatre Command, stated, “Troops in the theatre remain on constant high alert and will resolutely protect national sovereignty and security, as well as regional peace and stability.” Shi criticized the recent transit as “public hype” and asserted that China’s naval and air forces closely monitored the entire course of the passage.
This naval passage follows a similar event on September 9 when US and Canadian warships sailed through the narrow waterway that separates Taiwan and mainland China.
US and Allies Sen More in Taiwan Strait Recently
The United States and its Western allies have been increasing “freedom of navigation” crossings by naval vessels in both the Taiwan Strait and the disputed South China Sea, emphasizing that both are international waterways, which has irked Beijing.
The US Seventh Fleet, in a statement, noted that the transit was conducted in accordance with international law and passed through a corridor in the Strait that is beyond the territorial sea of any coastal state.
“Cooperation like this represents the centrepiece of our approach to a secure and prosperous region where aircraft and ships of all nations may fly, sail, and operate anywhere international law allows,” the statement read.
Taiwan’s defence ministry confirmed that it had monitored the passage on Wednesday night, describing the situation as normal. However, China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, has escalated military and political pressure on the self-ruled island, resulting in strained relations in recent years.
In September, China dispatched 103 planes around Taiwan within a 24-hour period, an action that Taipei deemed a “recent high.” Today, Taiwan reported detecting an unspecified number of Chinese warplanes around the island, with 20 of them crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entering its central, north, and southwest air defence identification zone.
These aircraft also conducted a “joint combat patrol” with Chinese naval vessels, prompting Taiwan’s defence ministry to monitor the situation using its own aircraft, ships, and land-based missile systems. The situation in the Taiwan Strait continues to be a point of tension in the region.
