Two German warships, the frigate Baden-Württemberg and supply ship Frankfurt am Main, transited the contested Taiwan Strait on Friday, disregarding Chinese warnings.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated that the passage through international waters was the safest route given the weather conditions.

This marks the first deployment of German naval ships through the strait since 2002.

China’s foreign ministry condemned the move, asserting that Taiwan is part of its territory and criticizing any actions deemed provocative.

Despite China’s claims of jurisdiction, international maritime law, as defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, allows for innocent passage through such straits.

The Taiwanese defense ministry confirmed the warships’ transit, stating that its military maintained control of the surrounding area, Newsweek has reported.

The German fleet is currently on a deployment in the Indo-Pacific to promote maritime security and adherence to international norms.

Written by B.C. Begley