A Royal Navy frigate has sailed through the Taiwan Strait alongside a U.S. Navy destroyer, despite stern warnings from Beijing.

China’s Eastern Theater Command blasted the move, accusing HMS Richmond and USS Higgins of “stirring up trouble” and “provocation.” Chinese forces said they deployed ships and aircraft to track the vessels and issue warnings.

The UK Ministry of Defence dismissed Beijing’s claims, saying the transit was nothing unusual. “The Royal Navy always operates in line with international law, exercising the right to freedom of navigation as guaranteed under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” the ministry said.

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command backed that stance, emphasizing that the ships passed through international waters. “The Taiwan Strait is not the territorial sea of any state, and navigation rights there should not be restricted,” it said.

The dispute reflects a deeper clash over who controls the 110-mile-wide waterway. China insists the strait is part of its territory and uses this claim to strengthen its sovereignty over Taiwan. Most Western countries reject this view, regarding the strait as an international passageway connecting the East and South China Seas.

That’s why Freedom of Navigation Operations (known as FONOPs) are so important. They’re not just about sailing through contested waters—they’re about challenging claims that could restrict global access to the seas. For the U.S. and UK, sailing through the Taiwan Strait is a way to underline that no single nation can close off a vital maritime route.

The Taiwan Strait has become one of the most sensitive flashpoints in the rivalry between China and the West. For Washington and its allies, keeping the strait open isn’t just a matter of principle—it’s a signal to Beijing that international waters remain just that: open to all. Photo by BreakdownDiode, Wikimedia commons.