Taipei Welcomes Canadian, Australian Ships’ Transit Through Taiwan Strait
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The Taiwanese government says it welcomes the recent passage of Canadian and Australian naval vessels through the disputed Taiwan Strait, calling it a show of support for regional peace and stability.
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Canada’s HMCS Ville de Québec vessel and Australia’s HMAS Brisbane ship recently conducted a routine transit through the Taiwan Strait “in line with international law,” the Canadian Joint Operations Command said in a Sept. 7 statement, adding that Canada “supports a free, open Indo-Pacific.”
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The Taiwan Strait is part of the South China Sea and separates the island of Taiwan from the Asian mainland, specifically China’s Fujian province.
The region has been a flashpoint for years, due to communist China’s claims that Taiwan is part of its territory—along with its use of economic and military coercion to reinforce that position—and the democratic island’s continued defence of its sovereignty.
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The recent passing of the Canadian and Australian vessels through the strait was noted positively by Taiwan’s ministry of foreign affairs.
“Taiwan welcomes HMCS Ville de Québec & HMAS Brisbane’s joint transit of the Taiwan Strait,” the ministry said in a Sept. 8 statement. “Their presence affirms the Strait as international waters & demonstrates firm support for peace, freedom of navigation & the rules-based international order.” Based on its disputed claim that Taiwan is part of China, the communist regime maintains the strait constitutes China’s “internal waters” and “exclusive economic zone.” Meanwhile, Taiwan and most Western nations, including the United States and Canada, regard the Taiwan Strait as international waters.
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China criticized the transit of the vessels through the strait, calling the move a “provocation.” Beijing’s state-run newspaper the Global Times said the vessels passed through the area on Sept. 6, and noted that China’s People’s Liberation Army tracked and monitored their passage.
Ambassador Harry Tseng, Taiwan’s top diplomat in Canada, also welcomed the vessels’ transit.
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“We’re sure the Taiwan Strait is international waters, and free nations uphold a free & open Indo Pacific,” he said in a Sept. 8 social media post, speaking on behalf of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Canada. “As the strait’s front-row neighbor, Taiwan welcomes & salutes your actions for peace.”
Ottawa recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the government of China under the One-China policy adopted since 1970, but “neither endorses nor challenges” the PRC’s position toward Taiwan.
Ottawa says it maintains “unofficial but valuable economic, cultural and people-to-people ties” with the self-ruled island.
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Reuters contributed to this report.
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