China’s military tracks Dutch warship in Taiwan Strait, calls earlier passage illegal

China’s armed forces say they are monitoring the Dutch frigate Zr.Ms. De Ruyter in the Taiwan Strait, following an earlier passage last week near the Paracel Islands that China called illegal. The Dutch Ministry of Defense confirmed it was aware of Chinese tracking activity and said the vessel is operating legally.

China said the same warship previously sailed through waters near the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims as part of its territory. China maintains that large areas of nearby seas fall under its jurisdiction, while several other countries reject those claims.

The Dutch ship is an air-defense and command frigate based in Den Helder and is currently deployed in the region as part of an international naval exercise.

“Zr.Ms. De Ruyter makes port visits in multiple countries in the region to strengthen diplomatic, security, and economic ties with these countries. At present it is sailing in international waters, en route to the next port visit,” the ministry said.