An official source revealed that an Australian naval vessel navigated through the Taiwan Strait yesterday, marking the latest passage of the sensitive waterway by a US ally. The Chinese state-affiliated media reported that the Chinese military closely monitored and tracked the warship during its journey.
Apart from asserting its control over Taiwan, which is governed democratically, Beijing considers the narrow and strategically crucial strait as part of Chinese territorial waters. China has, at times, exhibited assertive behavior towards foreign naval vessels passing through the area.
The Toowoomba, an Anzac-class frigate belonging to the Royal Australian Navy, completed a routine voyage through the Taiwan Strait over Friday and Saturday as part of its “Regional Presence Deployment in the Indo-Pacific region,” as disclosed by the source.
The source affirmed, “All encounters with foreign ships and aircraft were conducted in a safe and professional manner.”
As per the Global Times, a Chinese state-owned newspaper citing an unnamed military source, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army conducted comprehensive tracking, monitoring, and alert activities throughout the entirety of the transit.
