BEIJING: China’s military on Saturday (Sep 6) 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 criticised as a provocation.
The People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theatre Command said the Canadian frigate Ville de Quebec and the Australian guided-missile destroyer Brisbane were engaged in “trouble-making and provocation”.
“The actions of the Canadians and Australians send the wrong signals and increase security risks,” it said.
A spokesperson said the Canadian armed forces do not comment on sail plans for currently deployed ships.
The spokesperson said the Ville de Quebec is deployed as part of Operation Horizon, meant to promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
Ville de Quebec was operating in the Philippine economic zone earlier this week, participating in freedom of navigation exercises, according to a Canadian government statement.
There was no immediate response to a request for comment from the Australian armed forces.
Source: CNA
