On Wednesday evening (July 31) Eastern Time, the Canadian Ministry of Defense announced that a Canadian warship had passed through the Taiwan Strait, as part of their commitment to supporting the open Indo-Pacific region. This action has angered the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
According to Reuters, the Canadian Ministry of Defense stated that the HMCS Montreal frigate had “just conducted a routine transit” through the Taiwan Strait. The Defense Minister stated that this move reaffirms Canada’s commitment to a “free, open, and inclusive” Indo-Pacific region.
“As outlined in our Indo-Pacific strategy, Canada is increasing its naval presence in the region,” said Defense Minister Bill Blair. Canada announced its Indo-Pacific region plan in 2022.
The Canadian Joint Operations Command also confirmed on X platform that the Halifax-class frigate HMCS Montreal recently made a routine passage through the Taiwan Strait, but did not provide a specific date.
“Canada supports a rules-based international order and acts in accordance with international law,” stated the Canadian Joint Operations Command. “Our activities promote peace, resilience, and security in the Indo-Pacific region.”
A spokesperson for the CCP Eastern Theater Command, Li Xi, expressed dissatisfaction with the passage of the Canadian warship through the Taiwan Strait. He stated that the transit of the Canadian frigate on July 31 disrupted the situation and undermined stability. He also mentioned that the Chinese military is on high alert and ready to respond to any situation.
The Taiwan Ministry of National Defense also released a statement on Thursday, saying that the Canadian warship passed through the Taiwan Strait from north to south, and the Taiwanese military fully controlled the surrounding waters and airspace, with the situation being normal.
U.S. warships periodically traverse the Taiwan Strait. On November 1 last year, the U.S. destroyer USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) and the Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Ottawa (FFH 341) crossed the Taiwan Strait together.
In June last year, the U.S. Navy released a video showing an “unsafe interaction” by a Chinese warship in the Taiwan Strait. On June 3, the U.S. Navy missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon was conducting a routine passage in the Taiwan Strait with the Canadian frigate HMCS Montreal when the Chinese Navy’s LUYANG DDG 132 suddenly and unprofessionally crossed in front of the USS Chung-Hoon.
Commander Paul Mountford of the HMCS Montreal told accompanying reporters that the actions of the Chinese warship were unprofessional.
The Taiwan military reported that almost every day, Chinese warships appear in the waters near Taiwan, with Chinese drones and fighter jets frequently flying around Taiwan.
On Thursday, the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense stated that as of 6 a.m., a total of 29 Chinese military aircraft and 10 naval vessels had been spotted within 24 hours.