China suddenly 'turns around', changes attitude towards Canadian warship in the East Sea

Amid escalating tensions in the South China Sea, a notable development occurred when a Chinese warship suddenly sent a friendly message to the Royal Canadian Navy's HMCS Ottawa, a move considered unusual in the relationship between the two countries.

Royal Canadian Navy ship HMCS Ottawa. (Source: cba.ca)

According to sources, in the early morning, the HMCS Ottawa received a call via maritime radio from the Chinese warship Yuncheng: "Canadian warship 341, this is a Chinese Navy ship." The Yuncheng has been tailing the HMCS Ottawa for the past two days in this sea area.

After a brief pause, the Chinese side continued to report “poor sea conditions” and asked the Canadian ship to share its coordinates to ensure the safety of both sides. This was considered a rare and unprecedented friendly gesture.

At that time, the Royal Canadian Navy was moving west of the Spratly Islands to conduct Operation Horizon to promote maritime safety and order based on international rules.

The South China Sea is not only a strategically important sea area in terms of military power but also an important shipping route in the world, accounting for one-third of global shipping traffic. This sea area is believed to contain more than 11 billion barrels of untapped oil under the seabed.