Summarised by Centrist
New Zealand’s largest naval vessel, HMNZS Aotearoa, quietly transited the Taiwan Strait on 5 November in what officials say was a lawful freedom-of-navigation passage.
Defence Minister Judith Collins confirmed the mission, describing it as consistent with international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The transit had not been disclosed before now. According to the New Zealand Defence Force, the ship was shadowed by seven Chinese warships, all of which maintained what the NZDF called a “safe and professional distance.” A source familiar with the operation told Reuters that Chinese aircraft also monitored the vessel, with jets conducting simulated attack runs.
China claims jurisdiction over the Taiwan Strait and rejects the view held by New Zealand, the United States and Taiwan that it is an international waterway. The passage occurred as China was conducting a large “joint combat readiness patrol” near Taiwan involving J-16 fighter jets.
Aotearoa, a South Korea-built replenishment oiler that carries only light defensive weaponry, continued north toward Japan, where it is scheduled to take part in UN sanctions-enforcement operations related to North Korea.
The mission marks only the second publicly known New Zealand transit of the strait since 2017. The previous passage, in 2024, was carried out jointly with Australia. New Zealand maintains no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan but is one of just two major countries, alongside Singapore, with a free-trade agreement with Taipei.
