International law grants the right for nations to claim territorial waters, even in straights.ORIGINAL: Lecivius
Straits of Dover is only 20 miles wide. Both British & French control it. Neither claim it (I don't think, I could be wrong, there are sure to be some sort of boundaries). I'm sure Warspite or someone from that part of the world could offer a better opinion, but picture the uproar if the Royal Navy had a live fire drill in there, let alone while the Kiev was transiting.
The Strait of Gibraltar is, what? 7-10 miles across? Who gets that?
The Straight of Juan de Fuca channel goes back & forth. between Canada & the U.S. Ships of all nations transit that, including China.
Again, not trying to start something. But by law, it is not theirs to 'claim' any more than the Arabian, or Persian Gulf, or the South China Sea.
Spain and Morocco get the straits of Gibraltar. Britain also has claims which are not fully recognized. There is an internationally agreed on exclusion zone that allows free passage of ships.
France and England get the straits of Dover.
Oman and Iran get the straights of Hormuz.
Ships pass through these straights under two international laws. The law of innocent passage, which applies to most non military vessels. And the Right of Transit which allows military vessels to pass through a straight if they are moving from one area of the high seas to another.
The right of transit does not exist everywhere, it is agreed on by convention and treaty. It exists in the straights of Dover and the straight of Hormuz. It does not exist in the Straight of Juan de Fuca. China could sail a cargo ship through the Straight of Juan de Fuca, and appeal to the UN if it was seized. But they do not have a recognized right to sail a destroyer through there. The destroyer does have a recognized right to transit the straights of Dover or Hormuz.