New Zealand Defence Forces conduct naval transit through Taiwan Strait

New Zealand sent two naval vessels through the Taiwan Strait on September 18, marking the country’s third such transit in about twelve months. The frigate HMNZS Te Mana and the replenishment oiler HMNZS Aotearoa made the passage from north to south, with China’s People’s Liberation Army tracking and monitoring both ships throughout. The PLA claimed it maintained full control of the situation. A familiar route for the Aotearoa This wasn’t the Aotearoa’s first rodeo. The 26,000-tonne Polar-class oiler has now transited the Taiwan Strait three times since roughly September 2025, with the most recent prior passage occurring on November 5, 2025. That November transit was particularly eventful. Seven Chinese PLA Navy warships shadowed the Aotearoa during that crossing. The vessel also encountered Taiwan’s ROCS Cheng Kung, a guided-missile frigate, during the same passage. Freedom of navigation vs. Beijing’s red lines New Zealand’s government has consistently framed these transits as routine exercises in international maritime rights. Defence Minister Judith Collins has stated that the operations are conducted safely and in alignment with international best practices, citing the United Na...