Five Eyes allies boost Taiwan Strait transits as US scales back in 2025
US Navy kept low profile while allies made five politicized transits last year.
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According to a report released Tuesday by the South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative, the US military reduced its Taiwan Strait transits in 2025 while its Five Eyes allies—Australia, Canada, Britain, and New Zealand—conducted five separate transits involving six warships. All allied transits were accompanied by official public statements, marking a notable rise in non-US participation that began in 2024. The report highlights a shift from the previously dominant US and Canada to growing involvement by European and Oceanic countries.
Hu Bo, director of the think tank, noted that these transits do not pose a direct military threat to mainland China but are increasingly politicized, which provokes Beijing's criticism. He emphasized that military vessels transiting the Taiwan Strait operate at a tactical disadvantage due to unfavorable hydrographic conditions for large warships. The changing risk profile, Hu warned, means China will inevitably respond, making the overall situation appear more tense.
- Five Eyes allies (Australia, Canada, UK, NZ) conducted 5 Taiwan Strait transits with 6 warships in 2025.
- US military transits scaled back and kept a low profile, contrasting with allies' publicized passages.
- Think tank director Hu Bo says transits are increasingly politicized but not a direct military threat, though China's inevitable response raises tensions.
Why It Matters
Geopolitical posturing in the Taiwan Strait is shifting from US-led to allied-led, raising regional tension risks.