A Chinese aircraft carrier and two other ships sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, according to Taiwan’s Defense Ministry.
The ministry said the ships, which included the Shandong aircraft carrier, sailed north through the strait, which serves as an unofficial barrier between Taiwan and China.
Taiwan said the military was closely monitoring the movement of Chinese ships with its own ships and aircraft, and “responded appropriately.”
China’s Ministry of Defense did not immediately comment on the matter.
China is ramping up its invasions
The passage of the Chinese flotilla marks another escalation of military tensions over Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its own territory.
The government of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen strongly disputes Beijing’s sovereignty claims on the island and maintains that only the people of Taiwan can decide their future.
“In the face of China’s civil and military attacks, the people of Taiwan are calm and non-aggressive, reasonable and non-provocative,” Tsai said recently, adding that “war is not an option. “
In recent years, China has intensified its air and sea incursions around the island.
In addition to the passage of the Chinese flotilla, Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense reported that eight Chinese fighter jets crossed the median line of the strait in the past 24 hours.
This has become a regular occurrence since Chinese warplanes staged war games in August.
Last year in March, Shandong sailed into the strait a few hours before the presidents of China and the US were supposed to talk.
ss/fb (Reuters, AFP)
