Chinese military blasts UK frigate’s passage through Taiwan Strait as an ‘opportunistic’ stunt

HMS Richmond makes its transit between the mainland and the island less than two weeks after Britain, the US and Australia announced their Aukus alliance

The route, as the HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier group made its way to Vietnam, shows the UK’s commitment to American Indo-Pacific policy, analysts say

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HMS Richmond, a Type 23 frigate, is en route through the Taiwan Strait to visit Vietnam and the Vietnam People's Navy. Photo: HMS Richmond

Published: 7:33pm, 27 Sep 2021Updated: 9:50pm, 27 Sep 2021

The Chinese military has accused Britain of a “mentality of opportunism to undermine the stability of Taiwan Strait”, with the passage on Monday of a warship from the HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier strike group through the Taiwan Strait.

HMS Richmond, a Type 23 frigate that arrived in the Indo-Pacific region with the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, tweeted on Monday that it was passing through the narrow waterway that separates the Chinese mainland and the self-ruled island of Taiwan.

“After a busy period working with partners and allies in the East China Sea, we are now en route through the Taiwan Strait to visit Vietnam and the Vietnamese People’s Navy,” the message said.

Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesman for the People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theatre Command, which oversees the Taiwan Strait, said the British frigate used the transit as a “publicity stunt” to play up its military presence in the region.

“This is a bad intention to undermine the peace and stability of Taiwan Strait, fully exposing the mentality of [the British side’s] opportunism,” Shi said.

It is the first time the Royal Navy has publicly announced a warship transit through the contentious waterway. The manoeuvre was described by defence experts as a political move to follow the historic Aukus security pact signed by Washington, London and Canberra to help Australia build nuclear-powered submarines.

Pictured in the Pacific Ocean this month are, from front to back, HNLMS Evertsen, JS Izumo, HMS Defender, HMS Queen Elizabeth, HMCS Winnipeg, JS Ise and RFA Tidespring. Photo: UK Ministry of Defence