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September 28, 2021

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UK warship’s Strait passage flayed

CHINA strongly condemned Britain yesterday for sailing a warship through the Taiwan Strait, saying it was a behavior that “harbored evil intentions” and that the Chinese military followed the vessel and warned it away.

A post on the ship’s Twitter account said HMS Richmond passed through the strait en route to Vietnam. It had been deployed in the East China Sea while taking part in United Nations sanctions enforcement operations against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

The People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command said it has organized air and naval forces to follow the Richmond and warn it.

“This kind of behavior harbors evil intentions and damages peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” said Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson for the theater command. “Theater command forces always maintain a high level of alert and resolutely counter all threats and provocations.”

Relations between China and the UK are already strained over a long list of issues, from trade to human rights.

“We hope the relevant countries can do more to build mutual trust between countries and uphold peace and security in the region,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters, in regard to yesterday’s warship passage.

The HMS Richmond frigate was deployed with Britain’s aircraft carrier strike group. UK media said it was the first time a British warship had transited through the narrow waterway separating Taiwan and China’s mainland.

The British navy survey ship HMS Enterprise transited through the strait in 2019.

The UK’s defense ministry did not respond to a request for comment.




 

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