German Warship Awaits Berlin Order To Cross Beijing's Warning Taiwan Strait

German warship/PHOTO via Wikimedia Commons/Bene Riob

JAKARTA - Two German warships await orders from Berlin to determine whether next month they will become the first German naval vessels in decades to pass through the Taiwan Strait, prompting a warning from Beijing.

Although the US and other countries, including Canada, have delivered warships via the narrow strait in recent weeks.

This will be Germany's first naval trip through the strait since 2002.

China claims sovereignty over democratically-ruled Taiwan, and says it has jurisdictions over sea routes nearly 180 km (110 miles) wide, which divides both sides and is part of the South China Sea.

Taiwan rejects China's claim to sovereignty and says only the island's people can determine their future.

The Taiwan Strait is the main trade route traversed by about half of global container ships, and both the United States and Taiwan states that this is an international waterway.

The decision has not yet been made, said the commander of the naval task force, Rear Admiral Axel Schulz, to Reuters.

"We are raising our flag here to show that we support our partners and friends, our commitment to order based on rules, peaceful solutions to territorial conflicts, and free and safe shipping routes," he added.

When asked about the potential shipping of German ships, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Taiwan is China's internal affairs and the key to stability is against Taiwan's independence.

China has always opposed the weakening of China's sovereignty and regional security under the guise of freedom of navigation, ministry spokesman Mao Ning told reporters in Beijing.

Before likely crossing the strait next month, the Bagen-Wuerttemberg frigate and the Frankfurt am Main recharging ship plan to stop in Tokyo on Tuesday. They will also stop in South Korea and the Philippines.

They will take part in training in the area with France, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and the United States.

Over the past four years, the Beijing military has increased its activity in the strait.