Canada sends a warship to transits through Taiwan Strait, denounced by China

A Royal Canadian Navy frigate transited the Taiwan Strait on Sunday, marking Canada’s first such passage this year through the waterway that separates Taiwan a free country from the Chinese mainland, Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said.

The Halifax-class frigate HMCS Ottawa passed through the strait as Taiwan’s armed forces maintaining full control over the surrounding sea and airspace, according to its foreign and defence ministries.

The Foreign Ministry welcomed what it called Canada’s “concrete actions to defend the freedom, peace and openness of the Taiwan Strait” and its firm stance that the strait is “international waters.”

Recently, two U.S. Navy ships passed through the strait, triggering a protest from China, which claims the democratic island and has been increasing military pressure on it.

The China however denounced the passage of the Canadian frigate through the Taiwan Strait the previous day, saying it “deliberately stirred up trouble and undermined peace and stability” in the waterway that separates Taiwan from China.

The military’s Eastern Theater Command, which covers the Taiwan Strait, said it effectively dealt with the transit of the Halifax-class frigate HMCS Ottawa by deploying naval and air forces to monitor it.

Li Xi, a spokesman for the command, said in a statement the military will “remain on high alert and resolutely take counter measures against any threats or provocations.”

The first passage of a Canadian vessel via the Taiwan Strait in 2025 followed the transit earlier this month by two U.S. ships through the area, which triggered a protest from Beijing.

The mainland claims Taiwan as its territory and has been increasing military pressure on it.