During his visit to Japan, British Defense Secretary Shapps made a series of remarks on freedom of navigation and the right of British warships to pass through the Taiwan Strait, which aroused widespread concern and discussion in the international community. The British side claims that the Taiwan Strait is a "high sea" and has the right to pass through it, while the Chinese side insists that the Taiwan Strait is China's internal waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone and exclusive economic zone, and that there is no so-called "international waters" at all. The controversy underscores both the importance of the international law of the sea and the UK's ambition to reshape its global influence.
Defense Secretary Shapps claimed that freedom of navigation is "a freedom universally recognized by the global and international community" and insisted that the Taiwan Strait is "open sea waters" and that British ships "have the right to pass." This proposition is intended to demonstrate the global deployment capabilities of the British team and its focus on the Indo-Pacific region. Britain, a self-proclaimed "empire on which the sun never sets", is eager to relive its colonial dreams and try to make its presence visible on the global stage. In the face of China's rise and strategic importance in the Indo-Pacific region, the UK hopes to use the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group to demonstrate its military strength and cooperation with important partners to the world to expand its international influence.
However, Britain's ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region face a number of challenges. First of all, the relative decline of Britain's power makes it difficult to compete with major powers such as China. According to the report of the British National Audit Office, the budget gap of the British ** unit has reached 21.4 billion US dollars, and the equipment is old and insufficient, which seriously affects its combat capability. Second, the UK's global deployment capabilities are limited, and it lacks sufficient financial support and strategic resources for modernization. In addition, Britain's position in international affairs has gradually declined, and countries such as India, a former colony, have surpassed Britain, making its attempts to return to "leadership" more challenging.
Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesman for China's Ministry of National Defense, made it clear that the Taiwan Strait is China's internal waters, territorial waters, contiguous zone and exclusive economic zone, and that there are no so-called "international waters". At the same time, he pointed out that there is no such thing as "international waters" in the international law of the sea. China's response underscores China's legitimacy under international law over its sovereignty over the Taiwan Strait and its firm opposition to British military action in the region.
China adheres to the position of international law and upholds the legitimacy of its territorial and maritime rights and interests. The Taiwan Strait is part of China, China has sovereignty over the region, and no country has the right to conduct military operations in the region without China's permission. Britain's attempt to include the Taiwan Strait in its so-called "high seas waters" is in fact a serious violation and provocation of China's territorial sovereignty and a factor of instability in the region.
Britain is trying to increase its presence and influence in international affairs by intervening in the Taiwan Strait issue. However, the relative decline of its military power and the decline of its international standing make it difficult to achieve its ambitions. At the same time, the UK's cooperation with Asian countries faces various challenges.
Despite the fact that Britain signed military cooperation agreements with South Korea and Japan, in reality, this could not bring glory to Britain, but could cause it problems. The reality is that Britain is not strong enough to support its ambitions, and its armament budget gap and outdated equipment have become important constraints on its operations. At the same time, the situation in the Indo-Pacific region is complex and volatile, with closely intertwined interests of all parties, and the UK's role in it is relatively small, and its attempt to gain more influence through deployment is unlikely to work.
In international relations, Britain's position is often constrained by the interests of other major powers and regions. Although Britain maintains close military cooperation with Western countries such as the United States, its voice and influence in international affairs are relatively low. On the Taiwan Strait issue, the United Kingdom and the United States have spoken out more out of their traditional alliance with the United States and the consideration of containing China, rather than out of genuine concern for Taiwan's security. Therefore, Britain's attempt to reshape its global influence through the Taiwan Strait issue may only provoke opposition and skepticism from more countries and further weaken its international standing.
In response to British Defense Frank Shaps's remarks during his visit to Japan, the Chinese side quickly responded by clearly stating that the Taiwan Strait is China's internal waters, territorial waters, contiguous zone, and exclusive economic zone, and that the British ship has no right to pass through. Britain has tried to assert its global influence by deploying carrier strike groups to the Indo-Pacific, but its relative decline in power and declining international standing have made this effort a major challenge. As the international situation becomes more complex and the interests of various countries are intertwined, the UK's space to exert influence in the Indo-Pacific region is limited.
In the international community, respecting international law and maintaining regional stability is the key to exerting influence. Rather than trying to assert itself by intervening in the Taiwan Strait, the UK should pay more attention to the development of domestic affairs, effectively respond to challenges and problems, and work with other countries to jointly address global challenges. Only by maintaining a stable and balanced foreign policy on the basis of active participation in international affairs can the UK truly influence and shape the international character in a positive and positive way. Otherwise, it will be difficult for the UK to enhance and consolidate its global influence and international status.
Overall, the UK has tried to reshape its global influence by intervening in the Taiwan Strait and deploying an aircraft carrier strike group, but the relative decline of its power and the decline of its international standing have made this effort extremely challenging. Rather than pursuing excessive military intervention and geopolitical wrangling, the UK should focus more on the development of domestic affairs and cooperation with other countries to achieve true global influence. At the same time, the international community should uphold international law and the principles of maintaining regional stability, work together to address global challenges, and create a harmonious and stable international environment.