China condemns US, UK warships for sailing through Taiwan Strait

China's military has strongly criticised the United States and the United Kingdom after naval vessels from both countries transited the Taiwan Strait on September 12.

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) labeled the joint passage as an act of provocation, escalating tensions in the sensitive and strategically important waterway, Caliber.Az reports via Reuters. 

According to a statement from the PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command, the US Navy destroyer USS Higgins and the British frigate HMS Richmond conducted what Beijing described as “trouble-making and provocation.”

"The actions of the United States and Britain send the wrong signals and undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," the PLA said in a statement.

In response, Britain’s Ministry of Defence downplayed the incident, describing it as a routine naval operation in line with international maritime law.

"Wherever the Royal Navy operates, it does so in full compliance with international law and norms, and exercises freedom of navigation rights in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea," the statement said. 

China reported that it deployed naval and air forces to monitor and issue warnings to the vessels as they passed through the strait, which Beijing claims as part of its territorial waters. However, both the United States and its allies, as well as Taiwan, regard the strait as international waters under the framework of international law.

The latest passage follows a similar transit by Canadian and Australian warships last week. The US Navy, along with allied navies such as those of Canada, Britain, and France, typically conducts such operations approximately once a month.

By Sabina Mammadli