A ship sails between wind turbines in the Taiwan strait off the coast of Pingtan Island, Fujian province, China, April 10, 2023. REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab

BEIJING, Sept 6 (Reuters) – China’s military on Saturday said its forces had followed and warned a Canadian and an Australian warship, which were sailing through the sensitive Taiwan Strait, in a move it condemned as a “provocation”.

The People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theatre Command said the ships, the Canadian frigate Ville de Quebec and the Australian guided-missile destroyer Brisbane, were engaged in “trouble making and provocation”.

Chinese air and naval forces followed and warned the two ships and “effectively responded”, the command said in a statement.

“The actions of the Canadians and Australians send the wrong signals and increase security risks,” it added.

There was no immediate response to requests for comment from either the Canadian or Australian armed forces.

China’s state-backed newspaper the Global Times earlier on Saturday reported on the mission.

Taiwan’s defence ministry said in a statement that it keeps a close watch on activity in the strait and “dispatches appropriate air and naval forces to ensure the security and stability” of the waterway, which separates Communist China from the democratic island of Taiwan.

The U.S. Navy and occasionally ships from allied countries like Canada, Britain and France transit the strait, which they consider an international waterway, around once a month.

Taiwan also considers it an international waterway. China, which views Taiwan as its own, says the strategic waterway is part of its territorial waters.

Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s territorial claims.

China has over the past five years increased its military pressure against the island, including staging war games near Taiwan.

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