HMNZS Te Mana and HMNZS Aotearoa transited the Taiwan Strait on 18 September 2026 during a three-month Indo-Pacific deployment
The transit was part of their broader regional deployment, not a standalone Taiwan operation. Te Mana has subsequently been involved in UN sanctions-monitoring patrols against North Korea in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea. Why Te Mana went through the Taiwan Strait
HMNZS Te Mana and HMNZS Aotearoa transited the Taiwan Strait on 18 September 2026 as part of a broader three-month Indo-Pacific deployment. Their deployment included regional exercises, engagements and maritime-security activities, including Te Mana’s first deployment supporting UN sanctions monitoring against North Korea.
New Zealand’s stated position was essentially that this was a normal naval transit conducted under international law. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon described it as a “routine activity” and said it was conducted safely and professionally in international waters.
There are also practical reasons for using the Strait: it is the natural maritime route between the East China Sea and South China Sea, rather than routing substantially around Taiwan. For a navy conducting a wider Indo-Pacific deployment, using the Strait demonstrates that its ships can operate through an important international waterway.
Why does China object?
The fundamental disagreement is over what legal status the Taiwan Strait has.
China’s position: Beijing claims sovereignty over Taiwan and says it exercises sovereignty and jurisdiction over the Taiwan Strait.
New Zealand’s position: New Zealand says its ships can navigate the waters in accordance with international law.
Taiwan/US position: They regard the relevant waters of the Strait as international waters and support freedom of navigation.
That makes a foreign warship passing through the Strait more than simply a geographical shortcut. It demonstrates that the foreign navy is willing to exercise navigation rights in waters whose status China contests.
