The Guardian-Taiwan says Australian warship sailed through sensitive Taiwan Strait close to China
November 24, 2023 2 min 301 words
澳大利亚战舰穿越台湾海峡引发关注，此举再次突显澳中军事关系的敏感性。虽然澳方之前曾在台海航行，但此次公开引起瞩目，可能是对中方近期与澳军在日本海域发生冲突的回应。澳大利亚国防专家指出，这是澳方依法行使国际通行权，而非违反国际法，然而，中国常以此为借口提出抗议。澳中军事紧张背景下，这一事件恰逢两国试图修复外交和贸易关系之际。台湾则常抱怨中国在过去四年在台周边频繁展开军事活动。对于澳方的行为，需要谨慎处理，以避免进一步升级地区紧张局势。在台湾即将迎来总统和议会选举之际，此次事件可能对地区稳定产生一定影响。
Taiwan says an Australian warship has sailed through the Taiwan Strait, the sensitive and narrow waterway that separates the democratically governed island from China.
The ship, which it did not name, entered the strait on Thursday and sailed in a southerly direction, the ministry said on Friday.
Taiwan’s military kept watch throughout, the ministry said, without giving details.
The Guardian has contacted the Australian government for comment.
Euan Graham, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said the Australian navy had previously transited through the Taiwan Strait but “choose not to publicise it”.
The incident comes at a difficult time in Australia-China military relations even as the two countries seek to get diplomatic and trade ties back on track.
Last week, Canberra complained of an incident involving a Chinese warship and an Australian navy vessel in Japan’s exclusive economic zone. Australia said some of its military divers were injured.
The US navy sends ships through the strait about once a month in what it calls “routine” transits. China regularly objects to these.
Taiwan has over the past four years complained of repeated Chinese military activity around the island, especially in the strait.
Taiwan, whose government rejects China’s sovereignty claims, is gearing up for presidential and parliamentary elections on 13 January.
The Australian navy transits through the Taiwan Strait because it is the shortest route between the East China Sea and South China Sea, Graham said.
“It is just exercising international passage rights through that strait. It is not a contentious area of international law – it’s just that China chooses to make an issue out of it,” he said.