The US military scaled back and kept a low profile for its transits through the Taiwan Strait last year in contrast with increased passage by its allies, according to a report released by a leading Chinese think tank.
In 2025, the remaining Five Eyes countries – Australia, Canada, Britain and New Zealand – deployed six warships to conduct five Taiwan Strait transits, all of which were accompanied by official public statements, according to a report released on Tuesday by the South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative.
The report said the “notable rise” in transits by non-US extra-regional countries began in 2024, with growing involvement by European and Oceanic countries compared with the previously dominant US and Canada.
Hu Bo, director of the think tank, said such transits did not pose a direct military threat to mainland China, but were increasingly politicised, drawing criticism from Beijing.
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