China has issued a stern warning to Germany, a NATO member, cautioning against the potential passage of German warships through the sensitive Taiwan Strait. The warning, delivered on Monday, underscores the escalating tensions in the region as Beijing asserts its control over Taiwan, a self-governed island that China considers a breakaway province.
The warning from China's foreign ministry comes as Germany deliberates whether to send its frigate, Baden-Wuerttemberg, and the replenishment ship, Frankfurt am Main, through the 110-mile-wide Taiwan Strait in September. German Rear Admiral Axel Schulz, speaking to Reuters, acknowledged that a final decision has yet to be made, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding the potential transit.
China's foreign ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, reiterated Beijing's long-standing position during a press conference in Beijing, emphasizing that the Taiwan issue is an internal matter for China. "The Taiwan question is China's internal affair," Mao declared, adding that any attempt to undermine China's territorial sovereignty under the guise of freedom of navigation would be strongly opposed. "China opposes attempts to undermine China's territorial sovereignty and security in the name of freedom of navigation," she asserted.
This latest development is part of a broader pattern of rising tensions between China and Western nations over Taiwan. China has consistently refused to renounce the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control and claims jurisdiction over the Taiwan Strait, a critical waterway that separates the island from mainland China. In contrast, the United States and its allies, including Germany, view the strait as international waters and have conducted regular military transits to assert this stance.
The U.S. military frequently navigates the Taiwan Strait, with the destroyer USS Halsey making the most recent transit in May. In a show of solidarity, Canada, another NATO member, sent its frigate, HMCS Montreal, through the strait in July. Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair emphasized that the passage reaffirmed Canada's commitment to a "free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific." In response, China's military vowed to counter any perceived threats or provocations.
Rear Admiral Schulz indicated that if German warships were to transit the Taiwan Strait, they would not adopt specific security measures. However, he anticipated that Chinese naval forces, including the navy, coast guard, or maritime militia, would likely shadow the German task group during the passage. "We are showing our flag here to demonstrate that we stand by our partners and friends, our commitment to the rules-based order, the peaceful solution of territorial conflicts, and free and secure shipping lanes," Schulz stated.
The Baden-Wuerttemberg and Frankfurt am Main recently arrived in Tokyo as part of their deployment in the Pacific. Any potential transit through the Taiwan Strait would likely occur between stops in South Korea and the Philippines, both key U.S. allies in the region. The German naval task group's journey has already seen them cross the Atlantic Ocean, visit New York City for Fleet Week in May, and participate in military exercises at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii in June.
The Baden-Wuerttemberg is a 7,200-ton frigate equipped with a main gun, anti-ship, and anti-aircraft missiles, while the Frankfurt am Main, one of the largest ships in the German navy, has a displacement of 20,200 tons and is capable of supplying fuel, fresh water, provisions, and ammunition.
