Beijing — China’s military condemned the sailing of a Canadian warship in the Taiwan Strait on Monday, claiming that its air and naval forces had observed and warned the ship, a mission that occurred just a few days after US Navy ships conducted a similar operation. The United States Navy, as well as ships from allied countries such as Canada, Britain, and France, traverse the strait around once a month. China, which claims Taiwan as its own country, claims ownership of the crucial waterway as well. The People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command stated that Canada’s activities “deliberately stirred up trouble” and threatened the strait’s peace and stability. “Theater forces maintain a high level of alert at all times and resolutely counter all threats and provocations,” the organization said
The Canadian military declined immediate comment. Both the Chinese and Taiwanese governments identified the ship as the Ottawa. Taiwan’s defense ministry said on Sunday that the ship had sailed in a northerly direction, adding that Taiwanese forces also kept watch. Taiwan’s foreign ministry welcomed the sailing. “Canada has once again taken concrete actions to defend the freedom, peace and openness of the Taiwan Strait and has demonstrated its firm position that the Taiwan Strait is international waters,” it said on Sunday. Taiwan has complained of repeated Chinese military activities near the island. Taiwan’s defense ministry said on Monday morning in its daily update of China’s actions over the previous 24 hours it had detected 41 Chinese military aircraft and nine ships around the island, concentrated in the strait and off Taiwan’s southwest.

In October, a US and Canadian warship sailed through the strait, following China’s recent war games around the island. Taiwan’s democratically elected government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims, stating that only the island’s people have the right to decide their own future.