Russian warships sailing near Taiwan puts Beijing in ‘an awkward position’, say analysts

Three Russian navy ships sailed between two Japanese islands in a waterway off Taiwan’s eastern county of Hualien on July 1 and 2, says Japan’s defence ministry

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The Udaloy-class destroyer Marshal Shaposhnikov was one of three vessels spotted some 70km south of Yonaguni on July 1, according to Japan’s defence ministry. They travelled northeast through waters between Yonaguni and Iriomote Island. Photo: Handout

Published: 5:05pm, 6 Jul 2022Updated: 6:00pm, 6 Jul 2022

The recent sailing of three Russian warships close to Taiwan has put Beijing in an awkward position, given that the two countries are nominally allied to counter the United States and that the passage could be considered a violation of Beijing’s sovereignty, according to analysts.

Beijing, which sees Taiwan as its own and has vowed to take it back by force if necessary, has warned other countries against any moves that would undermine its territorial claim over the self-ruled island.

According to the joint staff office of Japan’s Ministry of Defence, the three vessels were spotted some 70km south of Yonaguni on July 1 and made their way northeast through waters between Yonaguni and Iriomote Island.

The vessels were identified as the Udaloy-class destroyer Marshal Shaposhnikov, the Gremyashchiy-class corvette Gremyashchiy and a Dubna-class tanker.

They sailed between the two Japanese islands in a waterway off Taiwan’s eastern county of Hualien on July 1 and 2 and moved into the East China Sea, the office said.

Taiwan later confirmed that the three Russian vessels had sailed near the coast of Hualien.