Taiwan reports Chinese aircraft carrier sailed through strait
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[May 27, 2023]
TAIPEI (Reuters) -The Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong sailed
through the Taiwan Strait on Saturday accompanied by two other ships,
Taiwan's defence ministry said, in the latest uptick in military
tensions over the island Beijing claims as its own territory.
The ministry said the Shandong, commissioned in 2019, had 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. |
![](../images/052723PIX/news_z8.jpg)
Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong sails in
Pacific Ocean waters, about 300 kms (186 miles) south of Okinawa
prefecture, Japan, in this handout image taken by Japan Self-Defence
Force on April 5, 2023 and released by the Joint Staff Office of the
Defense Ministry of Japan April 6, 2023. Joint Staff Office of the
Defense Ministry of Japan/HANDOUT via REUTERS
|
Taiwan's military closely monitored the group using its own
ships and aircraft and "responded appropriately", the ministry
said in a short statement.
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, operating in the western Pacific.
In March of last year, the Shandong sailed through the Taiwan
Strait, just hours before the Chinese and U.S. 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 had 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 to bring Taiwan under
its control.
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.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Tom Hogue)
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