Why did China warn British Navy over vessel HMS Spey's passage through the Taiwan Strait?

A fresh episode of maritime tension played out this week in the Taiwan Strait after HMS Spey, a British Royal Navy patrol vessel, sailed through the contested waters, prompting strong warnings from China.

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Beijing's reaction to the passage was swift and assertive, calling it an act of "intentional provocation" and warning that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) would "resolutely counter all threats."

FIRST BRITISH NAVAL PASSAGE IN FOUR YEARS

HMS Spey is one of two British warships permanently deployed in the Indo-Pacific region. Its recent patrol through the Taiwan Strait marks the first such British passage since 2021, when HMS Richmond traversed the strait during a regional deployment. The Royal Navy emphasized that HMS Spey's transit was part of a "long-planned deployment" and conducted "in full compliance with international law."

This action, however, comes at a sensitive time in UK-China relations. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to visit China later this year, which would be the first visit by a British leader since 2018. That trip is seen as part of broader efforts to stabilize and possibly reset ties between the two nations amid growing geopolitical frictions.

CHINA'S SHARP REACTION