Royal Navy frigate HMS Richmond and the USS Higgins prompted China to scramble its forced after the British and American ships navigated the Taiwan Strait on Friday.
Chinese military forces deployed both naval and aerial assets to shadow the allied vessels during their passage.
Beijing’s response was swift.
Chinese authorities accused the British and American navies with destabilising the region through what they termed acts of “harassment and provocation”.
The transit through these disputed waters represents the latest flashpoint in escalating tensions surrounding Taiwan.
Beijing maintains the strait falls within its sovereign territory, whilst Western nations assert their right to navigate what they regard as international waters.
China’s military command placed its forces on heightened readiness following the passage.
Senior Colonel Shi Yi, speaking for the Chinese military, declared that the transit “sent wrong signals and undermined peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait”.
HMS Richmond was joined by USS Higgins
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MINISTRY OF DEFENCEThe senior officer emphasised Beijing’s determination to protect what it considers its territorial integrity.
“The command remains on high alert and is committed to safeguarding national sovereignty and ensuring regional peace and stability,” Mr Yi said.
Chinese authorities characterised the Anglo-American naval operation as a deliberate challenge to their authority over the waterway.
Beijing’s military establishment deployed substantial resources to track the warships throughout their journey, demonstrating China’s capacity to monitor all movements through the strait.
USS Higgins (pictured) and the HMS Richmond prompted China to scramble its forces
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GETTY
The Western allies maintain a fundamentally different interpretation of the strait’s legal status.
Major Jason Welch, representing US Indo-Pacific Command, characterised the passage as a “routine Taiwan Strait transit” conducted in waters where “freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law”.
The American military spokesman emphasised the vessels’ route took them through waters beyond any nation’s territorial boundaries.
“The ships transited through a corridor in the strait that is beyond the territorial sea of any coastal state,” Welch told Newsweek.
Britain and America’s position reflects a broader international consensus that substantial portions of the Taiwan Strait constitute open waters accessible to all nations.
These naval tensions unfold against President Xi Jinping’s broader ambitions for Taiwan, which Beijing views as a renegade province despite the island maintaining independent governance, armed forces and currency.
Washington continues supplying defensive weaponry to Taiwan’s government, though stopping short of formal recognition.
The HMS Richmond’s passage follows similar transits by Canadian frigate HMCS Ville de Quebec and Australian destroyer HMAS Brisbane last week.
Chinese President Xi Jinping
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GETTYBeijing responded by deploying its latest aircraft carrier, the Fujian, for exercises near Taiwan.
Military analysts suggest China could attempt forcible reunification by 2027.
Satellite imagery reveals Beijing constructing new military installations along its eastern coastline, whilst Taiwan prepares civil defence protocols for potential conflict.