TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Two German naval vessels await orders from Berlin on whether they will navigate the Taiwan Strait next month.
In May, the German frigate F222 Baden-Wuerttemberg and the combat support ship Frankfurt am Main began a trip around the world and the German Minister of Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock indicated they may pass through the Taiwan Strait in the coming weeks. On Monday (Aug. 19), the task force's commander Rear Admiral Axel Schulz told Reuters the two vessels are awaiting orders to transit the strait.
Schulz said that the decision has not yet been finalized and that weather will be a factor. “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,” said Schulz.
If the German naval ships enter the strait, it would be the first time since 2002. The US Navy routinely sends ships through the strait, while Australia and France dispatched vessels last year and Canada deployed a frigate in July.
When asked to comment on the potential German transit, China's foreign ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning (毛寧) said that the “Taiwan question is China's internal affair.” She claimed the foundation for maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait relies on “firmly opposing ‘Taiwan independence.’"
She then emphasized that Beijing “opposes attempts to undermine China’s territorial sovereignty and security in the name of freedom of navigation.”