China has accused the UK of an "intentional provocation" after a Royal Navy vessel's transit through the Taiwan Strait "undermines peace and stability".
HMS Spey's passage marked the first such transit by a British naval vessel in four years.
China's navy accused the UK of "publicly hyping up" the patrol and claimed Britain's justifications were "a distortion of legal principles and an attempt to mislead the public".
The condemnation coincides with the arrival of HMS Prince of Wales and its carrier strike group in the Indo-Pacific region.
China stated that the patrol from the British warship is an 'intentional provocation'
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The Royal Navy maintains that HMS Spey's patrol formed part of a pre-arranged deployment and complied with international maritime law.
HMS Spey is one of two British warships stationed permanently in the Indo-Pacific region.
The transit occurs as Britain's HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier leads a strike group into the Indo-Pacific for an eight-month mission.
Sir Keir Starmer characterised the deployment as one of the carrier's most significant this century, intended to demonstrate "a clear message of strength to our adversaries, and a message of unity and purpose to our allies".
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Approximately 4,000 British military personnel are participating in the deployment.
Chinese forces tracked HMS Spey throughout its strait passage, with military officials warning that troops "will resolutely counter all threats and provocations".
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman stated that while Beijing acknowledges navigation rights through the strait, it "firmly opposes any country using the name of freedom of navigation to provoke and threaten China's sovereign security".
Taiwan's Foreign Ministry offered contrasting views, commending the patrol as an action that protects navigational freedoms in the Taiwan Strait.
HMS Spey is one of two British warships stationed permanently in the Indo-Pacific region
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Britain's previous strait transit occurred in 2021 when HMS Richmond sailed to Vietnam, prompting comparable criticism from Beijing.
The carrier strike group will engage with 30 nations through military operations and visits, conducting exercises with the United States, India, Singapore and Malaysia.
Relations across the Taiwan Strait have deteriorated since President Lai Ching-te assumed office in Taiwan.
He has described Beijing as a "foreign hostile force" and implemented measures targeting Chinese influence operations.
Beijing continues regular military drills in the strait, including April's live-fire exercise that it said simulated attacks on crucial ports and energy infrastructure.
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