China’s military has strongly criticised the British Royal Navy after HMS Spey sailed through the Taiwan Strait, calling the move a deliberate act of provocation that threatens regional peace and stability.
The Royal Navy defended the patrol, describing it as part of a long-planned deployment and compliant with international law. HMS Spey’s passage marks the first British transit through the strait in four years and coincides with the arrival of a UK carrier strike group, led by HMS Prince of Wales, for an eight-month Indo-Pacific mission involving around 4,000 UK personnel.
China, which claims Taiwan as its territory, accused the UK of distorting legal principles and using freedom of navigation as a pretext to provoke China’s sovereign security. Chinese forces monitored HMS Spey throughout the transit and vowed to counter any perceived threats.
In contrast, Taiwan’s foreign ministry praised the UK patrol for supporting freedom of navigation in the Taiwan Strait, an area where US warships regularly operate.
The tension comes amid heightened cross-strait relations since Taiwan’s new president, Lai Ching-te, took office, maintaining a strong stance against Beijing. Meanwhile, China has stepped up military drills near Taiwan and in the Pacific, including simultaneous exercises by two aircraft carriers near Japan, raising regional concerns.
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