A Canadian warship passed through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday as part of what Ottawa called a commitment to an open Indo-Pacific region.
The Canadian Ministry of National Defense said the HMCS Montreal frigate had “recently conducted a routine transit” through the Strait.
The transit was a reaffirmation of Canada’s commitment to a “free, open and inclusive” Indo-Pacific region, Canadian Minister of National Defence Bill Blair said.
Photo: US Navy / Naval Air Crewman (Helicopter) 1st Class Dalton Cooper / Handout via Reuters
“As outlined in our Indo-Pacific Strategy, Canada is increasing the presence of the Royal Canadian Navy in the Indo-Pacific region,” Blair said, referring to Canada’s plan for the region announced in 2022.
Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command spokesman Colonel Li Xi (李熹) said the passage of the Canadian frigate had “harassed and disrupted the situation, and undermined peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”
China’s troops were on high alert at all times and are “ready to respond to all threats and provocations,” he added.
China claims it has jurisdiction over the Taiwan Strait.
US warships, and occasionally US Navy patrol aircraft, pass through or over the Strait about once a month.
Canadian naval vessels are less common, though in November last year the US destroyer USS Rafael Peralta and a Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Ottawa conducted a joint transit through the Strait.
In June, during another joint US-Canada drill in the strait, a Chinese warship came within 137m of a US destroyer in what the Pentagon called “an unsafe manner.”
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) in a statement yesterday said that the military had “full control” over the surrounding sea and airspace during the Canadian frigate’s transit from north to south through the Taiwan Strait, adding that it observed nothing unusual.
Separately, the military has been reporting near-daily sightings of Chinese warships around Taiwan’s waters, as well as sorties by drones and fighter jets around the nation.
The MND yesterday said 29 Chinese military aircraft and 10 naval vessels were detected in a 24-hour window ending at 6am.
Additional reporting by AFP
Taiwan last night blanked world No. 1 Japan 4-0 to win the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) Premier12 for the first time. Taiwanese ace Lin Yu-min (林昱珉) held defending champions Japan to just one hit and no runs in the first four innings, before catcher Lin Chia-cheng (林家正) opened the fifth inning with a solo home run. That was soon followed by a three-run homer from Taiwanese captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) to put Taiwan ahead in the prestigious tournament of the world’s top 12 baseball teams. In addition to a superb performance from 21-year-old Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Lin, three more Taiwanese pitchers
SUPPORT: Arms sales to NATO Plus countries such as Japan, South Korea and Israel only have to be approved by the US Congress if they exceed US$25m The US should amend a law to add Taiwan to the list of “NATO Plus” allies and streamline future arms sales, a US commission said on Tuesday in its annual report to the US Congress. The recommendation was made in the annual report by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC), which contained chapters on US-China economic and trade ties, security relations, and Taiwan and Hong Kong. In the chapter on Taiwan, the commission urged the US Congress to “amend the Arms Export Control Act of 1976 to include Taiwan on the list of ‘NATO Plus’ recipients,” referring to
Taiwan yesterday advanced to the gold medal match of the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) Premier12 for the first time in history, despite last night losing 9-6 to Japan. Taiwan advanced after the US defeated Venezuela in the first game on the last day of the Super Round. However, the US had no chance of advancing to the championship game unless it defeated Venezuela by at least nine points. The US won 6-5. As a result, the two teams — who both had one win and two losses in the Super Round — are to face off again in the
Minister of Labor Ho Pei-shan (何佩珊) said she would tender her resignation following criticism of her handling of alleged bullying by Ministry of Labor Workforce Development Agency branch director Hsieh Yi-jung (謝宜容) resulting in the death of an employee. The ministry yesterday gave Hsieh two demerits and said she is subject to review by the Disciplinary Court. The severest possible punishment would be her removal from office and being barred from government jobs indefinitely. Workforce Development Agency Director-General Tsai Meng-liang (蔡孟良) also received a major demerit and was transferred to another position. Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) issued a formal apology
RSS