Two Chinese warships traveled through UK waters closely watched by a British frigate in a rare transit, the Royal Navy has revealed.
HMS Richmond kept a “close watch” on the Chinese Navy task group as it passed the UK twice in three weeks, traveling to and from Russia.
Monitoring foreign warships is a routine operation for the Navy, but it is much more common for the Ministry of Defense to disclose tracking of Russian ships rather than ships deployed by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (Navy).
Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard said: “These escorts are a clear demonstration of how the Royal Navy continues to protect the sovereignty of UK waters.
“Working closely with our allies to support Euro-Atlantic security is a top priority for this government.
“I thank the crew of HMS Richmond for conducting safe and professional transit and for everything they do to keep our nation safe at home and strong abroad.”
The British warship monitored from China Jiaozuo, a 7,500-ton destroyer, and Honghu, a 23,400-ton supply ship, as they made their round-trip journey across the North Sea to the English Channel.
A French warship and a Belgian navy patrol ship also shared the task of watching the Chinese ships.
The commanding officer of HMS Richmond, Commander Richard Kemp, said: “By maintaining a visible and persistent presence, the Royal Navy demonstrates our commitment to NATO alliance and in maintaining maritime security, which is crucial to our national interests.”
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The two Chinese ships initially passed through UK waters on their way to St Petersburg to take part in an annual event called Russian Navy Day at the end of July.
They then returned a few weeks later. The date of the return trip was not clear in the Royal Navy statement released on Saturday.
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The Navy said it is not common for Chinese ships to transit UK waters under British scrutiny.
The last time this happened was in 2019, when Chinese ships made a similar voyage to participate in the same Russian naval event.
This story originally appeared on News.sky.com read the full story
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