On October 21, 2024, two warships from the United States and Canada sailed together through the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Joseph Wu, stated that the freedom of navigation not only serves the national interest but also aligns with the common interests of countries in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of China reported today that a U.S. and a Canadian warship sailed from south to north through the Taiwan Strait on the 20th. During the passage through the strait, the Taiwanese military closely monitored the surrounding sea and airspace, with no abnormalities reported.
The U.S. Seventh Fleet announced that the U.S. Navy’s USS Higgins, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, and the Royal Canadian Navy’s HMCS Vancouver, a Halifax-class frigate, sailed together through the Taiwan Strait on the 20th. According to Kyodo News, the purpose of the U.S. and Canadian warships crossing the Taiwan Strait was to counterbalance Chinese military pressure on Taiwan.
The People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command stated today that it organized naval and aerial forces to monitor the passage of U.S. and Canadian warships throughout the entire journey and handled the operation in accordance with the law and regulations.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu attended the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee meeting today to report on the ministry’s operations. Taiwanese legislator Wang Ting-yu expressed concern over the U.S. and Canadian warships conducting freedom of navigation operations by sailing through the Taiwan Strait on the 20th. He emphasized that the passage of these warships, as stated in their declarations, through the international waters of Taiwan Strait by U.S.’s USS Higgins and Canada’s HMCS Vancouver underscored the principle of freedom of navigation, which is beneficial for Taiwan. He inquired about the ministry’s stance on this matter.
Joseph Wu expressed appreciation on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for like-minded countries’ emphasis on peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. The Group of Seven (G7) and the first island chain nations’ regard for Taiwan Strait’s freedom of navigation not only align with our national interests but also serve the common interests of countries in the Indo-Pacific region.
Wang Ting-yu remarked that the passage of warships from the U.S., Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan through international waters is within their rights and contributes to the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait. He queried, “Will our country be informed in advance when these free and democratic allies are conducting freedom of navigation activities?” In response, Joseph Wu stated, “Of course, we have relevant intelligence exchanges, but we will not comment on specific cases.”