Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong, two other ships sail through Taiwan Strait: Report
Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong sails in Pacific Ocean waters.
Three Chinese ships, including the aircraft carrier Shandong, crossed the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, stated the island's Ministry of National Defence.
"A (People's Liberation Army Navy) flotilla of three ships, led by the Shangdong aircraft carrier, passed through the Taiwan Strait around noon today... to the west of the median line, heading northward," the ministry said in a statement while speaking about the unofficial border in the middle of the strait.
The allegations are the latest uptick in the escalating military tensions over the island which Beijing claims as its own territory.
The ministry stated that the Shandong, which was commissioned in 2019, sailed around midday in a northerly direction through the strait sticking to its median line, which marks the unofficial barrier between the two countries.
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The military of Taiwan closely monitored the group, which was using its own aircraft and ships, and "responded appropriately", said the ministry in a short statement.
Taiwan's armed forces "have monitored the situation and tasked (civil air patrol) aircraft, navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond to these activities," the ministry stated.
The defence ministry of China did not respond to the allegations and the armed forces of the country did not mention about any sailing on their official social media channels.
Last month, the Shandong participated in the Chinese military drills around Taiwan, operating in the western Pacific. In March 2022, the Shandong sailed across Taiwan Strait, just hours before the US and Chinese presidents were due to talk.
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China's military activities have continued on a smaller scale around Taiwan after its war games formally ended last month.
WATCH |China's territorial ambitions, claims over Taiwan
On Saturday, Taiwan's defence ministry had stated that eight Chinese fighter jets had passed through the strait's median line in a time span of 24 hours, something that the Chinese warplanes have been doing regularly since they held their earlier war games last August.
China has never given up on the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen's government strongly rejects the sovereignty claims of Beijing and says that only the people of the island can decide their future.
The officials had last time reported in March 2022 that the Shandong had sailed through the Taiwan Strait. This happened right before China's Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden held talks over a phone call.
In December 2020, the carrier transited, a day after a US warship had passed through. In December 2019, Shandong also made a sail-by, weeks before Taiwanese voters went to the polls.
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