Key facts
- Two New Zealand naval ships, the Te Mana and the Aotearoa, transited the Taiwan Strait on September 18.
- The transits were part of a three-month deployment in the Indo-Pacific region.
- China claims sovereignty over the strait, while Taiwan and the United States consider it an international waterway.
- Chinese ships and aircraft monitored the Aotearoa during its transit, with jets conducting simulated attacks.
- New Zealand and Singapore are the only countries with a free trade pact with Taiwan.
- Australia and New Zealand signed Plan Tasman to deepen naval cooperation.
New Zealand's naval frigates Te Mana and oiler Aotearoa transited the Taiwan Strait on September 18 as part of a three-month deployment in the Indo-Pacific region. The transit occurred amid heightened tensions over the waterway, which China claims as its territory but is regarded by Taiwan and the United States as an international waterway.
China's defense ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. During the sailing, Chinese ships and aircraft monitored the Aotearoa, with Chinese jets carrying out simulated attacks, according to one source familiar with the situation. U.S. warships frequently transit the strait, drawing criticism from Beijing, and allies like Canada and Britain have also conducted occasional transits.
New Zealand, like most countries, lacks formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan but considers it a like-minded democratic partner. The two nations maintain de facto embassies in each other's capitals. New Zealand and Singapore are the only countries with a free trade pact with Taiwan.
Separately, Australia and New Zealand signed Plan Tasman on Monday to deepen naval cooperation across personnel, training, capability development, warfighting, engineering, regulation, and international engagement. The pact aims to enhance collaboration, information sharing, training, and operational alignment between the two navies, building on a maritime relationship that dates back over 160 years.