According to a statement posted on the WeChat public account of the Southern Theater Command on the 27th,, a naval officer and spokesperson for the Southern Theater Command, stated that on May 27th, the Dutch frigate Druyt illegally intruded into Chinese territorial waters near the Xisha Islands. Multiple times, helicopters from the frigate were used to enter Chinese airspace. The Southern Theater Command of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army deployed naval and aerial forces to take necessary measures, including verbal warnings and electronic interference, in order to drive the Dutch ships away in accordance with laws and regulations. The actions of the Dutch side constitute a serious violation of Chinas territorial sovereignty and airspace security. They also seriously violate international law and basic norms of international relations. This behavior undermines peace and stability in the South China Sea and can easily lead to misunderstandings and misjudgments. We firmly oppose such actions and urge the Dutch side to immediately stop their provocative behavior. The troops in the theater remain highly vigilant and will resolutely defend national sovereignty, security, and regional peace and stability.
According to military commentators from Observer Network, the F-804 De Ruyter is the third ship in the Dutch seventh-class frigate class. This class of ships, along with the German Sachsen-class frigates, were developed as part of a joint defense vessel program between Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain. Like the Sachsen-class frigates, the De Ruyter features a stealth design. It is equipped with a 9600-M APAR phased-array radar system, which consists of four smaller fixed array antennas.
The De Ruyter was launched on April 13, 2002, and entered service on April 22, 2004. It has been in service for over 20 years. However, the De Ruyter has undergone several improvements, and now it is capable of launching Tomahawk missiles. On March 12, 2025, the De Ruyter launched a Tomahawk missile near the coast of Norfolk, USA. This made it the first Dutch ship to accomplish this feat.
In February this year, the Dutch Ministry of Defense announced that the De Ruyter would undertake a five-month voyage in the Indo-Pacific region from mid-April. The purpose of this voyage is to strengthen ties with countries in that region. During this period, the ship will visit several ports and conduct exercises with various partner nations.
On May 6th, the ship arrived at its first stop during this voyage in the Asia-Pacific regionthe port of Cochin, India. The next day, it also conducted navigation exercises with another Indian naval vessel.
Two years ago, the same-class ship F803 Tromp also conducted a similar voyage in the Indo-Pacific region. The Dutch Ministry of Defense plans to conduct such voyages every two years.
