London
According to the British Defense Ministry statement, two naval patrol ships left the United Kingdom on a five-year deployment in its mission to patrol the Pacific and Indian Ocean.
The UK defence ministry said it will act as the "eyes and ears of the Navy" and the country and will work "alongside Britain's allies, carrying out security patrols to deal with drug-running, smuggling and terrorism".
The Royal Navy ships will also carry out joint naval exercises with other navies and armed forces, the ministry added.
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Two months ago Britain's defence minister Ben Wallace and his Japanese counterpart Nobuo Kishi had a meeting in which UK's defence minister had said the country will permanently assign two ships in the Asia Pacific region later this year.
Clear your diaries! #TeamTamar is about to deploy for the Royal Navy's enduring mission to the #IAP. We are leading the way and promoting #GlobalBritain. Witness our spectacular departure tomorrow in accordance with the QHM website. (https://t.co/78GdRGIky4) ?âï¸?? pic.twitter.com/UqhCEBGFaI
â HMS Tamar (@hms_tamar) September 6, 2021
The move comes as China continues to ensure movement of its navy in the South China Sea. Britain's Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier and escort ships are expected to sail to Japan in September. According to Japan's defence minister Nobuo Kishi, the ships will be deployed in the US and Japanese naval bases in the country.
China however had hit out at UK's move in an editorial in state-run newspaper Global Times warning that it will defend "its sovereignty and territorial integrity". China said the ships should remain "at least 12 nautical miles away from the Chinese islands and reefs."
However, the UK ministry of defence shot back saying the "carrier strike group is lawfully navigating the South China Sea, just as one-third of global shipping does on an annual basis".
"It is taking the most direct route through international waters to conduct exercises with allies and partners in the Philippine Sea," it added.
UK's HMS Queen Elizabeth had earlier coordinated exercises with the navies from India, Singapore and Malaysia.
"We are not going to go to the other side of the world to be provocative," UK's defence ministry said, adding, "We will be confident, but not confrontational."
(With inputs from Agencies)