Canada sends warship through Taiwan Strait

Canada sailed a warship through the waters of the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday as the vessel joined the ongoing effort to enforce United Nations sanctions against North Korea.
The Department of National Defence says the frigate HMCS Vancouver sailed through the narrow passage between China and Taiwan alongside the American guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins.
A statement Tuesday from the United States Navy's 7th Fleet says the ships transited "through a corridor in the strait that is beyond the territorial sea of any coastal state" to demonstrate a commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan early last month, angering China, which regards the island as its territory.
In response, the Chinese military fired missiles into the Taiwan Strait and mobilized large numbers of ships and warplanes for exercises around the island.
HMCS Vancouver, which has been deployed with HMCS Winnipeg to the waters around the Philippines and Indonesia since August, is expected to participate in exercises with American and Japanese forces while on its sanctions-enforcement mission.
A CH-148 Cyclone helicopter is deployed with the ship and a CP-140 Aurora long-range patrol plane is scheduled to join the sanctions mission in October, operating out of Okinawa, Japan, the Department of National Defence says.
"As a Pacific nation, Canada is deeply committed to upholding global stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region," National Defence Minister Anita Anand said in a statement Tuesday.
"Today’s routine Taiwan Strait transit demonstrates our commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific," Anand added.
Canada's sanctions enforcement mission against North Korea, known as Operation Neon, began in 2018 and was last year extended until the end of April 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Humanity at risk: AI pioneer urges federal government to regulate faster
One of the so-called godfathers of artificial intelligence says governments need to move faster on regulations to protect against the dangers of the rapidly advancing technology, before it poses a larger threat to humanity.

Running through middle age can keep brain healthy and neurons wired: study
Exercising as you age can help maintain memory and fight cognitive decline, according to a new study.
Prediabetes: The younger you are, the higher the risk of dementia
People who develop prediabetes when they’re younger are likely to have a higher risk for dementia in later life, a new U.S. study has found.
'We have an influence': How some Canadians are inspiring others to focus on the environment
From actions in their local communities to mass demonstrations, here's how Canadians from all walks of life are inspiring others to take part in helping the environment.
Hamilton police ask residents to shelter after barricaded man involved in double homicide fires shots
Police in Hamilton, Ont. are dealing with a barricaded person who they say is involved in the deaths of two people.
South Korean arrested for opening plane emergency exit door, faces up to 10 years in prison
A man who opened an emergency exit door during a flight in South Korea was formally arrested Sunday and faces up to 10 years in prison on a charge of violating the aviation security law, officials said.
GOP-controlled Texas House impeaches Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, triggering suspension
Texas' Republican-led House of Representatives impeached state Attorney General Ken Paxton on Saturday on articles including bribery and abuse of public trust, a sudden, historic rebuke of a GOP official who rose to be a star of the conservative legal movement despite years of scandal and alleged crimes.
Team Canada hockey players Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey engaged
Celebrated Team Canada hockey players Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey have announced their engagement.
Attorney for 11-year-old Mississippi boy shot by police says there's 'no way' he could have been mistaken for an adult
An attorney for an 11-year-old Mississippi boy who was shot by a police officer after he called 911 for help said Thursday there was 'no way' the boy could have been mistaken for an adult.