HMS Spey transited the Taiwan strait for the first time in four years on Wednesday – but the Chinese military called the operation an ‘intentional provocation’ that threatens regional peace
China’s military has lashed out at the UK after British warship HMS Spey sailed through the Taiwan Strait this week, calling the move an “intentional provocation” that threatens regional peace.
The Royal Navy said Wednesday’s patrol was part of a long-planned deployment and fully compliant with international law. It marked the first time a British naval vessel has transited the strait in four years. But Beijing, which considers self-governed Taiwan part of its territory, sharply criticised the mission. A spokesperson for China’s navy accused the UK of “publicly hyping up” HMS Spey’s journey and said its actions distorted legal principles in a bid to mislead the public.
“Such actions are intentional provocations that disrupt the situation and undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” the spokesperson said, adding that Chinese forces closely monitored HMS Spey and would “resolutely counter all threats and provocations.”
China’s foreign ministry later echoed the military’s comments, saying that while it respects other countries’ right to sail through the strait, it “firmly opposes any country using the name of freedom of navigation to provoke and threaten China’s sovereign security.”
Taiwan however welcomed the patrol, with its foreign ministry calling it a move that upheld the freedom of navigation in the highly contested waterway.
The passage of HMS Spey comes as a UK carrier strike group – led by the Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales – begins an eight-month Indo-Pacific deployment. Described by Prime Minister Keir Starmer as “one of the largest this century,” the operation will involve 4,000 UK personnel working alongside 30 countries, including the US, India, Singapore, and Malaysia.
HMS Spey is one of two British warships permanently stationed in the Indo-Pacific. The last time a British vessel transited the Taiwan Strait was in 2021, when HMS Richmond drew similar condemnation from Beijing. At the time, China also deployed military units to shadow the ship’s movement.
Cross-strait tensions have escalated significantly since Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te took office earlier this year. An outspoken critic of Beijing, Lai has labelled China a “foreign hostile force” and introduced measures targeting Chinese influence operations.
Meanwhile, China continues to ramp up military pressure in the region. In April, it staged live-fire drills simulating strikes on key ports and energy sites. Most recently, it launched an unprecedented dual aircraft carrier exercise near Japan, sparking concern in Tokyo.