The Canadian naval frigate HMCS Ottawa transited through the Taiwan Strait yesterday morning, days after two US ships also transited the Strait, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
It was the first time this year and the sixth time since Canada launched its Indo-Pacific Strategy in 2022 that Canadian warships have transited the Taiwan Strait, the ministry said in a news release, thanking Canada for taking concrete actions to safeguard freedom of navigation, peace and openness of the Strait.
The action demonstrated Canada’s firm stance to maintain the Taiwan Strait’s legal status as international waters, and its determination to protect peace and stability in the Strait, it added.
Photo from the HMCS Ottawa’s Facebook page
The Canadian frigate passed through the Taiwan Strait from south to north, the Ministry of National Defense said, adding that the nation’s armed forces maintained full control over the surrounding sea and airspace.
During the Canadian warship’s passage, China’s military radioed the ship and warned it to change course, Taiwanese media reported.
The US and its allies regularly pass through the 180km-wide Strait to reinforce its status as an international waterway.
A US destroyer and ocean survey ship transited the Strait on Monday last week, drawing criticism from China’s military, which said it sent the “wrong signal and increased security risks.”
The defense ministry yesterday said that 24 Chinese aircraft, including fighter jets and drones, were detected carrying “joint combat readiness patrols” with military vessels around the nation.
Sixty-two Chinese People’s Liberation Army aircraft were detected near Taiwan in the 48 hours from 6am on Wednesday, coinciding with the US ships’ transit, data released by the defense ministry showed.
Washington’s latest passage through the Taiwan Strait was the first time since US President Donald Trump took office in last month.
It came after Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said they “opposed any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo [in the Taiwan Strait] by force or coercion.”
The foreign affairs ministry in the same release said the nation would continue to strengthen its self-defense capability and staunchly oppose authoritarian expansion.
It also said it would deepen cooperation with like-minded nations, and together defend the rules-based international order, as well as peace, stability and prosperity across the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region, it said.
The Taiwanese passport ranked 33rd in a global listing of passports by convenience this month, rising three places from last month’s ranking, but matching its position in January last year. The Henley Passport Index, an international ranking of passports by the number of designations its holder can travel to without a visa, showed that the Taiwan passport enables holders to travel to 139 countries and territories without a visa. Singapore’s passport was ranked the most powerful with visa-free access to 192 destinations out of 227, according to the index published on Tuesday by UK-based migration investment consultancy firm Henley and Partners. Japan’s and
NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT: An official said that Guan Guan’s comments had gone beyond the threshold of free speech, as she advocated for the destruction of the ROC China-born media influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China content that threatens national security, the National Immigration Agency said yesterday. Guan Guan has said many controversial things in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” while expressing hope for expedited “reunification.” The agency received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification last year. After investigating, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and account for her actions. Guan Guan appeared as required,
Japan and the Philippines yesterday signed a defense pact that would allow the tax-free provision of ammunition, fuel, food and other necessities when their forces stage joint training to boost deterrence against China’s growing aggression in the region and to bolster their preparation for natural disasters. Japan has faced increasing political, trade and security tensions with China, which was angered by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remark that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would be a survival-threatening situation for Japan, triggering a military response. Japan and the Philippines have also had separate territorial conflicts with Beijing in the East and South China
A strong cold air mass is expected to arrive tonight, bringing a change in weather and a drop in temperature, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The coldest time would be early on Thursday morning, with temperatures in some areas dipping as low as 8°C, it said. Daytime highs yesterday were 22°C to 24°C in northern and eastern Taiwan, and about 25°C to 28°C in the central and southern regions, it said. However, nighttime lows would dip to about 15°C to 16°C in central and northern Taiwan as well as the northeast, and 17°C to 19°C elsewhere, it said. Tropical Storm Nokaen, currently
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