NZ and Australian naval ships make passage through Taiwan Strait

Naval vessels from New Zealand and Australia sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, according to a statement released by New Zealand Defence Minister Judith Collins.

The two ships passed through the sensitive waterway at 2 p.m. local time, a move Collins described as a “routine” operation in line with international law.

“The New Zealand Defence Force conducts all activities in accordance with international law and best practice,” she stated.

This marks the first time a New Zealand naval ship has traversed the Taiwan Strait since 2017, Collins added.

While a Japanese newspaper reported that a Japanese Self Defense Force destroyer, Sazanami, accompanied the two vessels, Collins’ statement only mentioned the New Zealand and Australian ships.

Australia’s Department of Defence confirmed the passage, also describing it as routine, and emphasised the transit as a demonstration of Australia’s commitment to an open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, insists it alone has sovereignty over the strait. However, both the US and Taiwan maintain that the Taiwan Strait is an international waterway, with nearly half of global container ships passing through this vital trade route.

China’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Lin Jian, reiterated the nation’s vigilance regarding foreign warships in the area. “We will maintain a high degree of vigilance against any act that may endanger China’s sovereignty and security,” Lin said during a press briefing.

While US warships transit the strait regularly, typically every two months, these passages often draw criticism from Beijing. Some US allies, including Canada and Britain, have also made occasional transits through the strait.

Monitoring the Australian and New Zealand warships through the Taiwan Strait was “easy” thanks to PLA Army helicopters transmitting their locations on ADS-B while monitoring the ships’ transit. I was able to track none less than 8 different PLA helicopters in the Strait. pic.twitter.com/S1i9aHv9f1

— Olli Suorsa (@OlliSuorsa) September 26, 2024