The USS Higgins, an American destroyer, along with the Canadian frigate HMCS Vancouver “conducted a routine transit through the Taiwan Strait on September 20 […] in accordance with international law,” the US Navy’s 7th Fleet said.
“The ship transited through a corridor of the strait that is beyond the territorial sea of any coastal state. »
Canada said HMCS Vancouver was en route to join an ongoing mission to enforce UN sanctions against North Korea when it transited with USS Higgins.
“Today’s routine transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates our commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific (region),” Canadian Defense Minister Anita Anand said in a statement. using another term to refer to the Asia-Pacific region.
Asked by state broadcaster CCTV, a spokesperson for the Chinese military’s Eastern Command called the transit “media hype”, saying Chinese troops were “still on heightened alert” to “defend sovereignty”. national and territorial integrity”.
Beijing believes that Taiwan is part of its territory and that the strait that separates the island from mainland China, and which is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, belongs to it.
The United States has long used “freedom of navigation” to navigate through this strait and counter Chinese claims. Western allies are increasingly joining these operations.
This new US-Canadian military transit – the first in 11 months – came the day after President Joe Biden said that US troops could come to the aid of Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion.
Statements identical to three other previous speeches by the president, despite an old policy of “strategic ambiguity” on the part of Washington, intended to avoid a Chinese invasion and to discourage Taiwan from provoking Beijing by officially declaring its independence.
After each of Mr. Biden’s statements, the White House affirmed that American policy towards Taiwan had not changed.