Taiwan says China stages mock attacks on foreign ships in strait

China’s military sometimes simulates attacks on foreign naval vessels in the Taiwan Strait and Taiwan shares intelligence with international partners when they operate in those waters, a senior Taiwan security official said on Wednesday.

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China, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own, says it alone exercises sovereignty and jurisdiction over the strait, a major trade route for about half of global container ships.

Both the United States and Taiwan say the strait is an international waterway, however.

US warships sail through the strait every few months, provoking Beijing, and some US allies, such as Britain and Canada, have also made occasional transits. A New Zealand navy ship went through the strait last month.

EIGHT NAVIES MAKE A DOZEN TRIPS THIS YEAR

Tsai Ming-yen, director-general of the Taiwan National Security Bureau said eight countries’ navies, including those of Britain, France, New Zealand and the United States, have made 12 trips through the strait so far this year.