China condemns sailing of Canadian, Australian warships in Taiwan Strait

China’s military said on Saturday that its forces had followed and warned a Canadian and an Australian warship, which were sailing through the sensitive Taiwan Strait, calling the passage as a “provocation.”

The People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theatre Command said the ships, the Canadian frigate Ville de Quebec and the Australian guided-missile destroyer Brisbane, were engaged in "trouble making and provocation".

Chinese air and naval forces followed and warned the two ships and "effectively responded", the command said in a statement.

"The actions of the Canadians and Australians send the wrong signals and increase security risks," it added.

There was no immediate response to requests for comment from either the Canadian or Australian armed forces.

China's state-backed newspaper the Global Times earlier on Saturday reported on the mission.

Taiwan's defence ministry said in a statement that it keeps a close watch on activity in the strait and "dispatches appropriate air and naval forces to ensure the security and stability" of the waterway.

The US Navy and occasionally ships from allied countries like Canada, Britain and France transit the strait, which they consider an international waterway, around once a month.

Beijing has ramped up deployment of fighter jets and naval vessels around Taiwan in recent years to press its sovereignty claim, which Taipei rejects.

In June, China criticised the United Kingdom for sending a navy patrol vessel through the waterway, saying it "undermined peace and stability".