Beijing/London/Taipei – On Monday, British warship HMS Richmond sailed through Taiwan’s territorial waters. This is the first time that a UK warship launched an independent operation in an area near Taiwan. The UK’s campaign has left China infuriated, and they criticised the patrols of the British warship, saying that it harboured evil intentions.
Currently, the British aircraft carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and the Carrier Strike Group are stationed in the Indo-Pacific region. HMS Richmond is part of the same fleet. A few days ago, the British aircraft carrier and its fleet were on a visit to Japan. HMS Richmond has left the fleet and is set to visit Vietnam. The British warship sailed across the Strait of Taiwan on Monday for this visit. Officials on the British warship gave this information through the photographs posted on social media.
China has been annoyed by the mission of the British warship and its open justification. The Eastern Theatre Command of the People’s Liberation Army of China criticised the British warship’s mission. ‘The mission of the British warship shows the evil intentions of the UK. This has shaken the peace and stability in Taiwanese maritime region,’ the Chinese command said in a statement. At the same time, China’s People’s Liberation Army is on alert, with fighter jets and warships reportedly dispatched to warn the British warship.
Over the past few years, China’s expansionist movements have intensified. An aggressive strategy is being implemented to increase its influence over the entire Pacific region, including the South China Sea and the East China Sea. The US Navy has taken the initiative to counter this Chinese aggression and has appealed to its allies in the Indo-Pacific region and Europe to be more active.
After that, countries like France, Germany and UK had signalled their intentions to increase their movements in the Indo-Pacific. These countries have also announced independent policies for it, raising the issue of “Freedom of Navigation” and signalling an increase in defence deployment. The voyage of the British warship through the maritime area of Taiwan and its visit to Vietnam is part of the same effort. Sources said that the United Kingdom has sent two warships for permanent deployment in the Indo-Pacific region.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-Cheng claimed that Taiwanese defence forces needed long-range missiles capable of hitting the target with precision against the background of growing Chinese hegemonic movements. The Taiwanese government is working on developing long-range ballistic missiles locally and is also in talks with the United States. The Taiwanese government has also allocated additional funds for this year’s defence spending, including the purchase of new missiles, sources said.
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