Taiwan has detected 24 Chinese military aircraft near the island as a Canadian warship passed through the sensitive Taiwan Strait, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence says.

The Chinese aircraft included fighter jets and drones and were spotted on Sunday carrying out “joint combat readiness patrols” with military vessels around Taiwan, the ministry said in a statement.

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China’s military radioed the Canadian frigate transiting through the Taiwan Strait and warned it to change course, Taiwan media reported.

The Halifax-class frigate HMCS Ottawa was the first Canadian naval vessel to transit the waterway this year, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Its transit came days after two United States ships, a naval destroyer and survey ship, made the passage.

The US and its allies regularly pass through the 180km (112-mile) Taiwan Strait to reinforce its status as an international waterway, angering China.

The US destroyer and ocean survey ship travelled through the strait starting on Monday, drawing criticism from China’s military, which said it sent the “wrong signal and increased security risks”.

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Data published by the Taiwan Defence Ministry showed 62 Chinese military aircraft were detected near the island in the 48 hours until 6am on Wednesday (22:00 GMT on Tuesday), coinciding with the US ships’ transit.

Washington’s latest passage through the Taiwan Strait was the first time since US President Donald Trump took office in January.

It came after Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said they “opposed any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo [in the Taiwan Strait] by force or coercion”.

‘Cross-strait differences’ to be resolved peacefully

The US, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan but is its strongest international backer and provides military aid to the island to help it maintain its defence capabilities.

While Trump has unnerved Taiwan since taking office with criticism of Taiwan’s dominance in making semiconductors, his administration has also offered strong words of support.

Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s claims of sovereignty over the island and says only Taiwan’s people can decide their future. Taiwan says it is an independent country called the Republic of China.

Beijing describes Taiwan as its “core of core interests”, regularly denouncing any show of support for Taipei from Washington.

On Thursday, the US Department of State removed a statement on its website that said it does not support Taiwan’s independence.

A reference was also added to the webpage about Taiwan’s cooperation with a Pentagon technology and semiconductor development project, and it says the US will support Taiwan’s membership in international organisations “where applicable”.

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“We oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side,” the updated State Department site reads.

“We expect cross-Strait differences to be resolved by peaceful means, free from coercion, in a manner acceptable to the people on both sides of the [Taiwan] Strait.”

Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung “welcomed the support and positive stance on US-Taiwan relations demonstrated in the relevant content” of the website, his ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

The changes in language were first reported by Taiwan’s official Central News Agency on Sunday.

The wording on Taiwan independence was also removed in 2022 before being restored a month later.