Taiwan 'welcomes' transit of Australia, Canadian warships in Taiwan Strait

Taipei, Sept. 8 (CNA) Taiwan's government on Monday hailed the recent transits by two foreign warships through the Taiwan Strait as a demonstration of support for cross-Strait peace.

Taiwan "welcomes and affirms" the move by Canada and Australia, which have once again taken "concrete action to emphasize the Taiwan Strait's status in law as an international waterway and their firm stance on safeguarding freedom of navigation and regional stability," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said.

It was the second time this year and the seventh time in less than three years that a Canadian warship transited the Taiwan Strait, and the first transit on that route this year by an Australian warship, MOFA said in a statement.

The press statement was the first confirmation by Taiwan's government of the transit through the Taiwan Strait of the Canadian and Australian warships last week.

On Saturday, China's military accused Canada and Australia of engaging in "trouble-making and provocation" by sending the HMCS Ville de Québec and the HMAS Brisbane, respectively, on a route through the narrow waterway that separates Taiwan and China.

China views Taiwan as its territory and sees the Taiwan Strait its territorial waters.

An Australian Defense Department spokesperson was cited in a Reuters report on Sunday as saying that the Hobart Class destroyer the HMAS Brisbane conducted a routine transit through the Taiwan Strait on Sept. 6 to 7 "in accordance with international law."

"The transit was conducted along with the Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Ville de Québec," the spokesperson said in a report.

"Australian vessels and aircraft will continue to exercise freedom of navigation and uphold International Law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea," the spokesperson was quoted as saying.

According to the Reuters report, the Canadian armed forces said they do not comment on plans for currently deployed ships.