Naval missions by foreign countries in the Taiwan Strait are intended to uphold international law rather than provoke China, France’s de facto ambassador to Taiwan said on Thursday, defending transits that regularly draw angry reactions from Beijing.
Franck Paris, director of the French Office in Taipei, said such operations were carefully conducted in international waters and were designed to reinforce legal norms governing freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most strategically sensitive waterways.
Background: Competing Claims in a Strategic Waterway
China claims sovereignty over democratically governed Taiwan and regards the Taiwan Strait as its territorial waters, a position rejected by Taipei and most Western governments. Beijing has repeatedly criticised and at times responded forcefully to foreign naval transits through the strait, which is a major conduit for global trade worth hundreds of billions of dollars annually.
Taiwan’s government, which rejects China’s claims, views the presence of foreign navies as an important signal of international support for the principle of freedom of navigation.
France’s Position
“We are careful to send these naval assets into international waters without any provocation,” Paris told reporters, adding that the missions aim to convey a clear message that international law applies in the strait and must be respected.
France, which will chair the Group of Seven (G7) in the coming year, sees these operations as part of a broader, coordinated effort among like-minded countries. Paris said G7 statements now routinely include language stressing the importance of maintaining the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and opposing the use of force or coercion.
G7 Coordination and Naval Presence
The United States sends warships through the strait every few months, moves that consistently anger Beijing. Several U.S. allies including France, Australia, Britain and Canada have also conducted occasional transits.
Paris said there was now “good choreography” among G7 partners in reinforcing shared messages through both diplomacy and naval activity, citing past voyages by Canada, the Netherlands and others. The last publicly confirmed transit by a French navy ship through the strait took place in 2024.
France–Taiwan Defence Links
Although France, like most countries, does not maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, it is regarded in Taipei as an important partner and fellow democracy. France sold Mirage fighter jets and frigates to Taiwan roughly three decades ago, assets that remain in service today.
“These assets are still used by the Taiwanese defence,” Paris said, adding that French companies continue to provide equipment and support to maintain them. He stressed that this arrangement has remained unchanged for years.
Analysis: Law, Signalling and Strategic Messaging
France’s remarks underline how Western governments increasingly frame Taiwan Strait transits as legal and normative actions rather than military challenges to China. By emphasising international law and multilateral coordination, Paris sought to blunt Beijing’s argument that such missions are provocative or destabilising.
At the same time, the growing regularity of G7 statements and allied naval activity suggests a deliberate effort to normalise presence in the strait and reinforce deterrence without crossing into overt confrontation. As China continues to expand its military operations in the waterway, these carefully calibrated missions have become a central tool for signalling resolve while trying to avoid escalation.
With information from Reuters.
