After months of secretive planning, and preparing the crew to defend their ship if necessary, the Royal Canadian Navy has transited the Taiwan Strait.
As HMCS Ottawa entered the busy and strategically critical body of water at sunrise, it was flanked by three Chinese warships armed with missiles and torpedoes. They mirrored Ottawa’s moves for the entire 17-hour crossing.
Canada made the journey along with the USS Ralph Johnson, a U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer, in what both countries describe as a freedom of navigation exercise.
I think this headline sounds sensationalist. It’s not untrue, but transiting the Taiwan Strait is something the US, Canada, and several other countries do pretty regularly to ensure they are still treated as international waters.
This headline makes it sound like an escalation when actually it’s pretty normal operating procedure.
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Yes, it’s important to note the tone makes it sound like a provocation, good eye. China has been pushing that slant in media a few years now.
China claims the ENTIRE SOUTH CHINA SEA. Imagine the US claims the entire Pacific ocean.
I wouldn’t put it past us.
Realistically tho, does the US not?
I mean … no? We do have a good track record of defending everyone’s right to transit international waters. There’re maps of the US claims to how far off our coast we claim. It’s not out of the ordinary as far as I know.
But our attitude? Yeah, with the “right” elected leaders, I could see that changing.
Ah, yeah. That was more my thrust… The attitude about enforcing open transit, because of course that’s what the US will do.
e: dumb typos
Understood. Yeah, we’re assholes about plenty of things, but we do defend the world’s right to open transit. China is trying to grab power in international trade by theft. The answer is no.
No they don’t. Jesus Christ.
I’m genuinely curious what you think the US and Canada are doing by sailing warships through another country’s claimed waters?
Asserting the fact that China has no legitimate claim just because they suddenly say they do. They’re relying on threat (like bullies) and the big players on the playground aren’t having it. By ignoring the illegitimate claim, they’re showing the world that China will not be allowed to bully. Say what you will about the US (and you’d probably be right), but the US Navy is not one you want to fuck with, which is why they chaperoned the transit.
Trolling tankies
Its a game of bluff. China can make all the claims it wants, but the waterway is traditionally open navigable waters, and rules are basically “do you want to start a war to stake your claim?” You can find many recordings online of western ships passing through the strait, and a constant back and forth of;
“Turn back, you are in chinese waters.”
“This is the USS Fillintheblank, we are in International Waters performing a freedom of navigation exercise.”
“We order you to turn back now.”
“This is the USS Fillintheblank, we are in…”
Yes so deliberately being antagonistic to prove the point claiming it’s international waters?
Of course it’s necessary to be antagonistic towards breaking international agreements.
They are exercising their right to sail through international waters.
China just claimed your toilet water as its own, what are you gonna do about it?
Drop a massive stinker and refuse to flush
Oh yeah? Is your curiosity genuine? Really?
Get fucked ya CCP hosers.
I keep reading these comments in a strong Canadian accent.
Hoser mania is reaching epidemic proportions.
Xi and Brics is a bigger threat then anyone gives them credit for. It’ll be a New World order.
“🇨🇦🖕🇺🇸” 😂
Edit: An entire thread forcing me to explain the joke to death while painting me as the idiot is infinitely funnier than the joke itself could ever hope to be. Especially when it’s all started by someone who calls Canada “canadia”. I thank you for your service. 😏
The people there are Canadians. It should either be called Canadia or they should be called Canadans. They want it both ways. I don’t accept that. Hail Canadia!
😂 You make an excellent point.
As a proud Canegian, I protest
Oh Bananada!
canadia sailed a warship through the taiwan straight, and that’s a fuck you to the united states, how?
Err, no. Canada and US sailed through together, giving the fuck-you finger to China.
Canada made the journey along with the USS Ralph Johnson, a U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer, in what both countries describe as a freedom of navigation exercise.
Also they literally went together lol
EDIT: Top comment was not actually confused, but is really being dragged through the mud for a slightly ambiguous three emoji combo haha, sorry top comment.
Meh. They were soundly ratioed for their troubles. 😂
Maybe he only speaks “High School Emoji” and isn’t that fluent yet. Misunderstandings can happen like that.
Or - and hear me out here - I’m in my 40s and assumed that those who read my comment had read the full article like I did and understood it was a joint mission between Canada and the US and the meaning would be obvious.
I apologize my use of emoji wasn’t to your exacting standards but I find comedy that’s forced to lead the reader by the nose isn’t quite as funny. I hope some day you’ll find peace and healing for the harm I’ve caused you.
…and assumed that those who read my comment had read the full article like I did
There’s your error. I hope you learned your lesson.
Yep. I’m a stupid for sure. 😭
I make the same mistake, thinking someone will read when all they wantto do is comment first. :/
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Nah couldn’t be that
Is it necessary to be so hostile?
I wouldn’t worry too much about a reply-guy who rushes to the defense of another who calls Canada “canadia” to show solidarity in their judgment of “a stupid”. It’s actually funnier than my abhorrent emoji game. 😏
😜😭💥💥💦👉👈
Reply guy? Do you have any clue what that even means? Put the Internet away before you hurt yourself, kid.
You’re bent out of shape because no one understood your dumb comment. It’s kind of sad that you’re so easily hurt.
Take a breath reply guy, I think he’s just fucking around
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😂
I didn’t even think I was being hostile? Does no one really remember thinking “embarasada” meant embarrassed in Spanish class?
But now that I’ve checked back in with this thread and gotten a honestly pretty unexpected hostile reaction, yeah, let’s go with that then.
China can claim anything they want. They will never enforce it because they can’t. They might be an economic superpower (selling off your population as slaves to do labour for basically no money in awful conditions tends to do that), but they will never be a military one. Their weapons are copied, low quality garbage, their soldiers untrained, and undisciplined.
Ruzzia may have been the biggest paper tiger in history, China is the second biggest.
I would say China might actually be a better military power than Russia. No one would have believed just how fucking bad Russia’s military crumbled away. I doubt China has the same issues (but I don’t really know). Let’s say their weapons are copied (copies of what? State of the art weapons systems?) - I’d guess that means they can do some serious damage eitherway, and probably better than what Russia has. They have nukes too.
I think being the second biggest paper tiger makes you stronger than the first biggest paper tiger.
We can’t know if that’s true until the shooting starts. Nobody knew for sure how strong Russia was until they went to war in Ukraine. In fact, the people who were in the best position to know (the Russians themselves) clearly didn’t know because they never would have started this fight if they knew it would expose them as so weak.
We do know a bit about how powerful the US would be because they get involved in so many conflicts. But, even then, they haven’t really faced a near-peer opponent since… who knows when.
In any sustained conflict, the ability to keep feeding troops, food, and supplies to the front line would matter, and that’s where China might have an advantage. They have so many people they could keep feeding into the meat grinder. They have a huge manufacturing-based economy that could supply more and more arms and armour. One weakness is that they’re a net importer of food, which would be a problem if those imports were disrupted.
One thing’s certain, every country in the world is closely watching what’s happening in Ukraine and trying to learn things without having to put their own soldiers in the firing line. I’m actually sure that that’s one of the conditions for the military aid from the west. Sure, you can use these very modern weapons systems, but you have to turn on telemetry and share everything with us.
One lesson I’m sure they’re learning so far is that drone warfare is going to be key. They’re key for intelligence gathering, targeted strikes, artillery spotting, etc. A cheap drone can take out much more expensive weapons systems, and they allow a “pilot” to be very close to the action while not being in any danger. Because of China’s drone industry, they’d have an edge in that area.
The doubts about their non transparency regarding economics has finally hit the fan. Xi is due for a rude awakening. Also fuck Evergrande
Canada be like
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Literally red and green, doesn’t get much Canadianer. If the Chinese can’t find you handsome, they can say least find your navy.
I miss Red Green!
It could be a little Canadianer. It could be saying “soorry” the whole time it sails by. Possibly while handing out free healthcare.
Also needs a hockey stick for good measure
“sorry…”
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Taiwan is not internationally recognized as an independent state.
Well, there’s some poutine in your eye
