A Canadian warship’s transit through the Taiwan Strait has drawn criticism from China’s military, which claims the move disrupts regional peace.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry reported that the Canadian vessel sailed through the strait on Sunday, marking the first such passage by Canada this year. This came just days after two U.S. ships undertook a similar transit.
Li Xi, spokesperson for the Eastern Theater Command of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), stated on Monday that Canada’s actions were a deliberate provocation and a threat to stability. He confirmed that Chinese naval and air forces had been deployed to monitor and safeguard the region, warning that all threats would be countered resolutely.
Taiwan welcomed Canada’s move, viewing it as a reaffirmation of the Taiwan Strait’s status as international waters. “Canada has once again taken concrete steps to uphold freedom, peace, and openness in the Taiwan Strait,” Taiwan’s foreign ministry stated.
The United States and its allies frequently conduct transits through the 180-kilometer-wide waterway, asserting its status as an international passage, a stance that repeatedly draws China’s ire.
On February 10, a U.S. destroyer and an ocean survey vessel also traversed the strait, prompting China’s military to issue warnings, accusing Washington of sending the “wrong signal” and increasing security risks.
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s defense ministry reported detecting 41 Chinese aircraft and nine warships operating near the island in the 24-hour period leading up to 6:00 a.m. on Monday.
