China’s military has accused Australia and Canada of “causing trouble” and engaging in provocation after their naval vessels sailed together through the Taiwan Strait, a waterway Beijing claims as its own.
According to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the Australian guided-missile destroyer HMAS Brisbane and the Canadian frigate Ville de Quebec transited the strait on September 6. Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson for the PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command, said the passage sent “wrong signals” and heightened security risks. He added that Chinese naval and air forces monitored the ships throughout their journey and “effectively responded” to the situation.
Australia’s Department of Defence confirmed the Brisbane had recently taken part in freedom of navigation exercises alongside Canada, the Philippines, and the United States in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. Canada’s armed forces said the Ville de Quebec was deployed under Operation Horizon, aimed at promoting peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, but declined to comment on specific sailing plans.
Taiwan’s defence ministry reported it had closely tracked the activity in the strait, deploying “appropriate air and naval forces” to safeguard security and stability. The strait, which separates China from the self-governing island of Taiwan, is considered by both Taiwan and many Western nations to be an international waterway. China, however, insists it falls within its territorial waters a claim Taiwan rejects.
The transit comes amid rising tensions in the region. Over the past five years, Beijing has intensified military pressure on Taiwan, including staging large-scale war games near the island. Naval passages by the US and allied nations through the Taiwan Strait occur roughly once a month, underscoring its strategic importance for global trade and regional security.
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