China forces Dutch frigate De Ruyter to leave Paracel Islands in South China Sea

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army announced that it expelled the Dutch frigate HNLMS De Ruyter after the vessel entered the disputed Paracel Islands and Chinese airspace, launching helicopters over the area. A spokesperson demanded that the Netherlands “immediately end” what China called “provocative actions”.

The Dutch Ministry of Defence confirmed the ship’s presence in the region, noting that De Ruyter began a five‑month deployment in early April to support freedom of navigation and safeguard strategic sea lanes. A maritime tracker showed the frigate near the Philippines two days before the incident. The navy said the ship operates under international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

This is not the first confrontation between Chinese forces and Dutch vessels; two years earlier the frigate HNLMS Tromp was repeatedly circled by Chinese fighter jets in the East China Sea. No further details were provided by Dutch officials at the time of the incident.