A British Royal Navy patrol vessel has sailed through the Taiwan Strait, a Navy spokesperson said on Thursday, saying the passage complied with international law.
"HMS Spey’s routine navigation through the Taiwan Strait was part of a long-planned deployment and took place in full compliance with international law," the spokesperson said in a statement.
Britain's Ministry of Defence did not say when the passage took place.
China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, says the strategic waterway belongs to it.
The last time a British warship sailed through the strait was in 2021, when HMS Richmond was deployed in the East China Sea en route to Vietnam. Chinese military followed it at the time and warned it away.
The latest passage comes at a time when Britain and China are seeking to mend their relations, with deeply unpopular Prime Minister Keir Starmer expected to visit Beijing later this year, the first trip to the country by a British leader since 2018.
(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti; editing by William James, Alexandra Hudson)
