Taiwan says China sometimes stages mock attacks on foreign navy ships in strait

By Ben Blanchard

TAIPEI, Dec 3 (Reuters) – 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.

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.

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

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