China said the HMS Spey's transit "undermines peace and stability" in the region.

China’s military has called a British warship’s recent passage through the Taiwan Strait a disruptive act of “intentional provocation” that “undermines peace and stability”.

The British Royal Navy says HMS Spey’s patrol on Wednesday was part of a long-planned deployment and was in accordance with international law.

The patrol - the first by a British naval vessel in four years - comes as a UK carrier strike group arrives in the region for a deployment that will last several months.

China considers Taiwan its territory - a claim that self-ruled Taiwan rejects - and has not ruled out the use of force to “reunify” the island.

  • xep@fedia.io
    33·
    3 days ago

    But, of course, when China sails two aircraft carriers through Japanese EEZ, it’s Japan’s fault for flying their surveillance too close by.

  • pulsewidth@lemmy.worldEnglish
    29·
    3 days ago

    If China wants to keep escalating skirmishes and expanding ownership claims then it forces world powers to travel via the strait to demonstrate that it’s still a regular legal channel of international naval transit, owned by no-one. The channel is 130kms wide at its most narrow section ffs… the closest passing ships come to land is ~65kms. That’s a pretty large buffer.

    China just sailed a fleet of their own warships around Australia three months back, crossing into Australian territorial waters a number of times and even conducting live firing tests in the waters between Australia and NZ. None of which was done with permission, or necessary to be done near Australia or NZ. There are enormous uninhabited sections of ocean that would have been less travel (and cost) for them to reach - its just done to flex muscle and could just as easily be framed as “intentional provocation” and “undermining peace and stability”. So its ‘rules for thee, not for me’.

  • undergroundoverground@lemmy.worldEnglish
    13·
    3 days ago

    Its just a dance both sides are doing.

    China claim the straight and, under maritime law, if that’s accepted then it’s theirs. So, British etc. ships sail through it saying “what a lovely straight of water. I’m going to sail through here, as no one owns it.” If China doesn’t react, they have relinquished their claim to the straight. So, they have to follow up with “hey you, get off my lawn!” Every so often, the dance is repeated.

    Nothing to worry about.