Taiwan reports Chinese aircraft carrier sailed through strait
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The ministry said the Shandong had sailed in a northerly direction around midday through the strait sticking to its median line.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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TAIPEI – Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Saturday accompanied by two ships, Taiwan’s defence ministry said, in the latest uptick in military tensions over the island Beijing claims as its own territory.
It added that the Shandong, commissioned in 2019, sailed in a northerly direction around midday through the strait sticking to its median line, which serves as an unofficial barrier between the two sides.
Taiwan’s military closely monitored the group using its ships and aircraft and “responded appropriately”, the ministry said.
China’s defence ministry did not answer calls seeking comment and the country’s armed forces made no mention of the sailing on their official social media channels.
The Shandong participated in Chinese military drills around Taiwan last month,
In March last year, the Shandong sailed through the Taiwan Strait, just hours before the Chinese and US presidents were due to talk.
China has continued military activities on a smaller scale around Taiwan after formally ending its war games last month.
On Saturday, Taiwan’s defence ministry also said over the previous 24 hours that eight Chinese fighter jets crossed the strait’s median line, something Chinese war planes have been doing on a regular basis since earlier war games last August.
China has never renounced the use of force
The government of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen strongly disputes Beijing’s sovereignty claims and says only the island’s people can decide their future. REUTERS
