Two New Zealand naval ships transited the Taiwan Strait late last week, New Zealand's Defence Force said today, amid tension over the waterway claimed by China and regarded by Taiwan and the US as international waters.
Like most countries, New Zealand has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but Taipei sees it as an important like-minded democratic partner and both maintain de facto embassies in each other's capitals.
The transits on Friday last week, by naval frigate Te Mana and oiler Aotearoa, were part of a three-month deployment in the Indo-Pacific, a Defence Force spokesperson said.
Photo: Screen grab from Royal New Zealand Navy’s X account
"New Zealand Defence Force deployments to the region demonstrate our continued interest and commitment to the region," the spokesperson added in a statement.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon called it "a routine activity" and said he was not expecting any backlash from China, the country's top trading partner.
"It's conducted in a safe and professional way. It's conducted under international law, it's in international waters," Luxon told reporters in Wellington.
China's Ministry of National Defense did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
China claims it alone exercises sovereignty and jurisdiction over the strait, though Taiwan rejects Beijing's claims.
Both the US and Taiwan say the strait, a major trade route for about half of global container ships, is an international waterway. New Zealand is one of just two major countries, along with Singapore, to have a free trade pact with Taiwan.
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense said that as the strait is an international waterway, all countries enjoy freedom of navigation.
The ministry “would not proactively disclose the activities of friendly allied nations' aircraft and vessels,” it said in a statement.
The Aotearoa was tracked and followed by Chinese forces when it last transited the strait in November last year, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.
During that transit, Chinese ships and aircraft monitored the Aotearoa, with Chinese jets carrying out simulated attacks, the source said.
US warships sail through the strait every few months, provoking criticism from Beijing, and some US allies, such as Canada and Britain, also make occasional transits.
China has stepped up military activities in the strait over the past five years, including staging war games.
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