On September 12, 2023, China’s military denounced the passage of a US destroyer, USS Higgins, and a British frigate, HMS Richmond, through the Taiwan Strait, labeling the maneuvers as “trouble-making and provocation.” The People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theatre Command stated that it had ordered naval and air forces to monitor and issue warnings to the ships, asserting that the actions of the US and Britain negatively impact peace and stability in the region.
In contrast, Britain’s Ministry of Defence characterized the naval transit as routine, emphasizing that the Royal Navy conducts its operations in full compliance with international law and norms, adhering to freedom of navigation under the United Nations Convention on