New Zealand naval ships transit Taiwan Strait amid China tensions

On September 18, 2026, two New Zealand naval ships, the frigate Te Mana and the oiler Aotearoa, transited the contested Taiwan Strait as part of a routine deployment. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon defended the transit as a lawful activity in international waters, downplaying potential backlash from China, New Zealand's top trading partner. The transit occurs amid heightened regional tensions, with China claiming sovereignty over the strait while Taiwan, the United States, and other allies assert freedom of navigation.

New Zealand Taiwan Strait transit

• ▪New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon described the September 18, 2026 transit of the Taiwan Strait by the frigate Te Mana and oiler Aotearoa as a routine activity conducted under international law in international waters
• ▪Two New Zealand naval ships, the frigate Te Mana and the oiler Aotearoa, transited the Taiwan Strait on September 18, 2026
• ▪Prime Minister Christopher Luxon stated that the New Zealand naval ships Te Mana and Aotearoa were sailing en route to participate in a joint exercise in the Philippines
• ▪The New Zealand Defence Force stated that the September 18, 2026 transits of the Taiwan Strait by the frigate Te Mana and oiler Aotearoa were part of a three-month deployment in the Indo-Pacific region

Taiwan Strait sovereignty dispute

• ▪The Taiwan Strait serves as a major global trade route, carrying approximately half of the world's container ships
• ▪China claims sovereignty and jurisdiction over the Taiwan Strait, whereas Taiwan and the United States reject these claims and regard the strait as an international waterway

Chinese military monitoring activities

• ▪During a previous transit of the Taiwan Strait by the New Zealand oiler Aotearoa in November 2025, Chinese ships and aircraft monitored the Aotearoa, with Chinese jets conducting simulated attacks
• ▪China has increased its military activities around Taiwan over the past five years, including staging war games

New Zealand–Taiwan relations

• ▪New Zealand maintains no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but both maintain de facto embassies in each other's capitals
• ▪New Zealand is one of only two major countries, alongside Singapore, to have a free trade agreement with Taiwan

International freedom of navigation operations

• ▪United States warships transit the Taiwan Strait every few months, and allies such as Canada and Britain make occasional transits
• ▪Taiwan's defence ministry stated that all countries enjoy freedom of navigation in the Taiwan Strait but noted it would not proactively disclose friendly nations' activities

Debatable claims

• ▪New Zealand should send naval vessels through the Taiwan Strait
• ▪The Taiwan Strait is an international waterway