Military operations around the island, described as "the most dangerous place on Earth" by The Economist, have become more frequent and the situation has not been relaxed. Since US President Joe Biden took office in January, US warships have conducted Taiwan Straits transits at least nine times, according to estimates of media reports. It docked in Japan on September 4, media reported. The HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier strike group passed through the Bashi Channel at the southern tip of Taiwan island on August 2 and sailed northward along the waters off the eastern Taiwan coast. We remain on high alert and resolutely counter all threats and provocations," Shi said.Įast China's Zhejiang Maritime Safety Administration announced on Monday military training in parts of the East China Sea will be conducted from September 28 to 29. "The UK's ill-intentioned actions undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits and expose its opportunistic mentality. Shi Yi, the spokesperson for the PLA Eastern Theater Command, said on Monday that their air and navy forces have followed and supervised the transit.
HMS Richmond has conducted naval-air maneuvers for carrier-borne helicopters about 35 nautical miles west of Taipei Harbor, media on Taiwan island reported.
On a Monday Twitter post of the HMS Richmond, a Type 23 frigate of the Royal Navy and part of the HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier strike group, it said the warship was passing through the Taiwan Straits to visit Vietnam and the Vietnam People's Navy, after "a busy period working with partners and allies in the East China Sea." The People's Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command that dispatched units to monitor the British frigate through the Taiwan Straits on Monday slammed the move as a "meaningless display," and the theater command would remain on high alert and resolutely take actions against any acts of threats and provocations. Chinese experts said the symbolic move will not bring the UK back to its former imperial glory, but only destroy peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits. Mirroring the US move in August, a UK warship from the HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier strike group sailed through the Taiwan Straits on Monday, showing its presence in a provocative manner. Vessels in the Taiwan Straits, July 20, 2017.