China criticises UK warship HMS Spey sailing in Taiwan Strait

China said the HMS Spey's transit "undermines peace and stability" in the region.

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The British Royal Navy says HMS Spey's patrol on Wednesday was part of a long-planned deployment and was in accordance with international law.

The patrol - the first by a British naval vessel in four years - comes as a UK carrier strike group arrives in the region for a deployment that will last several months.

China considers Taiwan its territory - a claim that self-ruled Taiwan rejects - and has not ruled out the use of force to "reunify" the island.

A spokesman from China's navy criticised the UK for "publicly hyping up" the journey of HMS Spey, and said the UK's claims were "a distortion of legal principles and an attempt to mislead the public".