China on Saturday criticised Germany for increasing security risks in the Taiwan Strait following the passage of two German military vessels through the sensitive waters the previous day.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius confirmed that the frigate ‘Baden-Wuerttemberg’ and the supply ship ‘Frankfurt am Main’ sailed through the strait, marking the first such voyage by Germany’s navy in over two decades.
Chinese military spokesperson Li Xi condemned the move, stating it “increases security risks and sends incorrect signals.” China considers Taiwan a renegade province and claims jurisdiction over the Taiwan Strait. At the same time, Germany and many other nations maintain that such voyages are part of regular operations, citing freedom of navigation.
In response to the German vessels, Li said the People’s Liberation Army deployed sea and air forces to “monitor and warn off” the ships, hoping China’s troops would “resolutely counter all threats and provocations.”
The German ships were en route from South Korea to the Philippines. Defence Minister Pistorius defended the route as the “shortest and safest” given the weather conditions, emphasising that the strait is international waters.
Taiwan, which faces increasing military pressure from China, welcomed Germany’s actions alongside other Western nations, affirming their efforts to uphold the Taiwan Strait’s status as international waters and defend freedom of navigation.
Despite China’s ongoing military intimidation of Taiwan, including large-scale exercises and threats against pro-independence forces, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz downplayed the significance of the naval passage, stating that “it’s an international waterway.”
This move follows similar actions by the US, Canada, and the Netherlands, all of which aim to assert the legal status of the Taiwan Strait and maintain regional peace.
