Two Royal Canadian Navy vessels transited through the Taiwan Strait, the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei confirmed yesterday, adding that such passages were in line with its long-term naval practices and international law.
The Ministry of National Defense on Wednesday said that a number of Canadian warships had recently sailed through Strait, a rare move by a non-US military vessel.
Local Chinese-language media reports said that the transits were made Tuesday.
Photo courtesy of Maritimetraffic
The trade office identified the ships as the frigate HMCS Regina and supply ship Asterix, which had wrapped up a trip to Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam, as part of efforts to strengthen defense and security relations with Canada’s regional partners.
As part of Canada’s contribution to a multinational effort to counter North Korea’s evasion of UN Security Council sanctions through maritime smuggling, the vessels were ordered to sail from Cam Ranh Bay to northeast Asia.
“The most practical route between Cam Ranh Bay and northeast Asia involves sailing through the Taiwan Strait. Transit through the Taiwan Strait is not related to making any statement,” the trade office said.
It also said that such passages were nothing new.
The HMCS Calgary, HMCS Chicoutimi and HMCS Vancouver operated throughout the Asia-Pacific region last year and during those activities the Calgary made a transit through the Strait in October, the office said.
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