In a historic first, the Japanese warship JS Sazanami, a naval destroyer, traversed the Taiwan Strait from north to south on Wednesday. Reports indicate that the vessel was accompanied by ships from Australia and New Zealand, en route to military exercises in the South China Sea. This significant maneuver by Japan marks a departure from its previous policy of avoiding navigation through the strait to prevent escalating tensions with China, which asserts sovereignty over Taiwan and the surrounding waters.
While neither Japan, Taiwan, nor China has made official statements regarding the passage, Chinese state media outlet Global Times reported that the Chinese military monitored the warship throughout its transit. This move comes amid an increase in naval patrols by the US and its allies, aimed at asserting freedom of navigation in the Taiwan Strait, a vital shipping route that handles around half of the global container fleet.
For decades, the US Pacific fleet was the sole foreign navy regularly transiting the strait, but it has recently been joined by naval forces from Canada, Australia, Britain, and France. Just two weeks ago, Germany sent two navy vessels through the strait for the first time in 22 years, prompting criticism from China, which accused Berlin of heightening security risks.
These naval movements serve a political purpose, signaling to China that the US and its allies do not acknowledge Beijing’s territorial claims. Japan’s action represents a notable shift from its longstanding strategy of avoiding direct challenges to China’s maritime activities.
In response to escalating military activities by China, including increased airspace violations, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary expressed a heightened sense of crisis. Meanwhile, Taiwan has noted a rise in Chinese military aircraft operations near the island.
Experts believe that Japan’s naval passage is part of a broader trend of countries in and beyond Asia increasing their naval presence in response to China’s assertiveness. The leaders of the Quad nations Japan, Australia, India, and the US recently agreed to enhance maritime security cooperation to counter China’s growing influence in the region.