Germany Navigates First Warships Through Taiwan Strait in Over Two Decades
The passage defies Chinese warnings and underscores tensions over international navigation rights.
- Two German naval vessels, the frigate Baden-Württemberg and the supply ship Frankfurt am Main, sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Friday.
- This marks Germany's first transit of the strait in 22 years, highlighting a significant shift in its defense strategy in the Asia-Pacific region.
- China condemned the move, labeling it as a provocation and a threat to its sovereignty and security.
- German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius emphasized that the strait is international waters and the route was chosen for its safety and efficiency.
- The transit aligns Germany with the US and other Western allies, who regularly conduct freedom of navigation operations in the strait to challenge China's territorial claims.
South China Morning Post 
Deutsche Welle 
The Japan Times 
CNA 
Newsweek 
Business Insider 
Associated Press 
Financial Post 
