On Thursday (June 19), a spokesperson for the British Navy stated that a British patrol ship had crossed the Taiwan Strait, asserting that the passage was in accordance with international law.
According to Reuters, the Navy spokesperson said in a statement, “The HMS Spey’s passage through the Taiwan Strait is part of a long-planned deployment and fully complies with international law.”
The British Ministry of Defense did not disclose the specific timing of this passage. In response to questions from a Central News Agency reporter, the British Office in Taiwan stated that on June 18, 2025, the HMS Spey sailed through the Taiwan Strait. This voyage aligns with the rights specified in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The Chinese Communist Party has long claimed sovereignty and jurisdiction over this strategically significant waterway. However, Western countries argue that the Taiwan Strait is an international waterway.
In recent years, the U.S., along with allies like the UK and Canada, have sent warships through the Taiwan Strait, provoking anger from Beijing.
The last time a British warship transited the Taiwan Strait was in 2021. During that instance, the HMS Richmond was deployed in the East China Sea on its way to Vietnam, and Chinese military vessels trailed the ship, issuing warnings to leave the area.
In October 2024, the U.S. guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins and the Canadian warship HMCS Vancouver conducted a routine passage through the Taiwan Strait. The U.S. Seventh Fleet stated that these naval passages demonstrated the commitment of the U.S. and Canada to uphold freedom of navigation for all nations.
“The international community’s right to navigate and fly over the Taiwan Strait should not be restricted. Any sovereignty or jurisdiction claim that conflicts with the freedom of navigation, flight, and other lawful use of sea and airspace will be rejected by the United States,” the statement said.
The joint passage of U.S. and Canadian warships through the Taiwan Strait displeased China. The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army released a statement at the time, indicating that American and Canadian warships passing through the Taiwan Strait and publicizing their actions were closely monitored and warned throughout the entire journey, with appropriate measures taken in accordance with the law.