A Canadian warship has navigated the contested Taiwan Strait as part of a joint exercise with allied naval forces, an action that showcases Ottawa’s position in maintaining the international status of the waterway in response to China’s territorial assertions.
“Moving through the Taiwan Strait is to demonstrate a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Sam Patchell, the commanding officer of the Canadian warship, told CBC News. “The only way we can do that is to come here and signal it.”
Contention
The Taiwan Strait is a narrow body of water that separates mainland China from the island of Taiwan. China’s assertiveness in the region, coupled with its unilateral territorial claims over Taiwan, a self-governed democracy, has increasingly drawn international attention.Nations in the surrounding area are also closely monitoring this situation due to their significant reliance on the waterway for trade. An estimated $4.6 trillion in cargo, a third of all global trade, passes through the Taiwan Strait each year, according to CBC.
In addition to the Taiwan Strait, Beijing has also asserted territorial claims over the South China Sea, where the Canadian warship is currently navigating.
Before this most recent crossing, the Royal Canadian Navy’s HMCS Montreal had participated in a joint military exercise in the East China Sea alongside the United States, Japan, and Australia. This exercise concluded on June 5.