The patrol vessel HMS Spey, of the British Royal Navy, carried out a freedom of navigation operation near the Spratly Islands, in the disputed South China Sea.
According to the United Kingdom’s Permanent Joint Headquarters, the mission was conducted in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, reinforcing the British commitment to maintaining free and open maritime routes in the region.
The action comes amid rising tensions between the United Kingdom and China in the Indo-Pacific. In 2025, HMS Spey had already taken part in the first British transit through the Taiwan Strait since 2021, as well as a joint operation with the Australian destroyer HMAS Sydney in the Spratly Islands. The missions prompted a strong reaction from Beijing, which accused London of threatening regional stability.
Chinese authorities said the British operations distorted international legal principles and were carried out with the aim of provoking tensions in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. The Chinese government also stated that its armed forces remain on alert to respond to any action considered provocative by foreign countries.
Despite Beijing’s criticism, the ruling issued by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2016 invalidated much of China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea. Even so, China continues to claim vast areas of the region, including zones near the Spratly Islands, territory also disputed by Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei.
🛳️ @HMS_Spey has just exercised navigation rights and freedoms around the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, in accordance with UNCLOS.
➡️The UK is committed to international law and to upholding a free, open and stable South China Sea. pic.twitter.com/rm3m4njxuB
— Defence Operations 🇬🇧 (@DefenceOps) May 5, 2026
Source: UK Defence Journal | Photo: X @DefenceOps | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team
