by Jake Sanders, Editor
The Chinese military has stated that the passage of two German Navy ships through the Taiwan Strait on Friday has heightened security risks in the region. Beijing’s Foreign Ministry accused Germany of provoking tensions and breaching the One-China policy.
Taiwan has been self-governing since 1949, following the Nationalist forces’ retreat to the island after losing the Chinese Civil War to the Communists. Currently, only 12 countries recognize Taiwan as a sovereign nation. The US, while officially adhering to the One-China policy—which asserts Beijing’s authority over Chinese territories—has maintained informal relations with and supported Taiwan for decades.
China regards Taiwan as an integral part of its territory, with President Xi Jinping warning of potential military action to reclaim it.
On Friday, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry confirmed that a German naval frigate and a supply ship traversed the Taiwan Strait from north to south, marking the first such passage in 22 years.
Senior Captain Li Xi, a spokesman for the People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command, remarked that Germany’s actions have heightened security risks and conveyed misleading messages.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning emphasized that the Taiwan issue pertains to China’s sovereignty, not merely freedom of navigation. While Beijing acknowledges the rights of other nations to operate in international waters as per the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, it opposes any provocative actions disguised as navigation rights.
The Chinese Embassy in Berlin reiterated that the waters of the Taiwan Strait are considered China’s internal and territorial waters.
In response, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated that “international waters are international waters,” and that the passage was the safest route given the weather conditions.
Despite China’s objections, countries like the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and France have repeatedly sent warships through the strait.
中國軍方表示，兩艘德國海軍艦艇在上週五通過台灣海峽，增加了該地區的安全風險。北京的外交部指責德國挑起緊張局勢，違反「一個中國」政策。
自1949年以來，台灣一直在自我治理，此前國民政府在中國內戰中敗給共產黨後撤退到島上。目前，只有12個國家承認台灣是一個主權國家。美國雖然官方上遵循「一個中國」政策，該政策主張北京對中國領土的主權，但幾十年來一直與台灣保持非正式關係並提供支持。
中國將台灣視為其領土的一部分，習近平主席警告有可能採取軍事行動以收復台灣。
上週五，台灣國防部確認一艘德國海軍護衛艦和一艘補給艦自北向南通過台灣海峽，這是22年來的首次通過。
中國人民解放軍東部戰區發言人李希上校表示，德國的行為增加了安全風險，並傳遞了誤導性信息。
外交部發言人毛寧強調，台灣問題涉及中國的主權，而不僅僅是航行自由。儘管北京承認其他國家根據《聯合國海洋法公約》在國際水域的運作權利，但反對任何偽裝成航行權利的挑釁行為。
中國駐德國大使館重申，台灣海峽的水域被視為中國的內部和領土水域。
作為回應，德國國防部長鮑里斯·皮斯托里烏斯表示，「國際水域就是國際水域」，並且在考慮天氣條件下，這是最安全的航線。
儘管中國反對，美國、英國、澳大利亞、加拿大和法國等國家仍然多次派遣軍艦通過該海峽。
