An Australian warship sailed through the Taiwan Strait, a government source confirmed, marking the latest transit by a U.S. ally through the sensitive waterway. The HMAS Toowoomba, an Anzac-class frigate, conducted a routine passage on Friday and Saturday as part of a regional deployment.

China's military tracked and monitored the Australian vessel throughout its transit, according to state-backed media citing an unnamed military source. Beijing views the narrow strait as Chinese territorial waters despite it being an international waterway. Taiwan's defence ministry stated it closely monitors regional activities while maintaining that all countries enjoy freedom of navigation rights in the strait.

The transit follows a pattern of U.S. allies challenging China's claims in the region. U.S. warships traverse the strait every few months, with allies including France, Britain and Canada making occasional passages. China has intensified military activities around Taiwan, staging war games in late December. The Australian government emphasized all interactions with foreign vessels were safe and professional during the operation.