TAIPEI: Three Chinese naval vessels, including the Shandong aircraft carrier, transited through the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense.
The passage of the aircraft carrier through the sensitive waterway is seen as a significant escalation in tensions between China and Taiwan.
China considers Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out using force to achieve reunification. Since the election of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, who advocates for Taiwan’s independence, Beijing has increased military activities near the island, including frequent air and sea incursions.
Presence of Chinese Warships Near Taiwan
While the presence of Chinese warships near Taiwan is regularly reported by Taipei, the passage of the Shandong aircraft carrier through the 180-kilometer-wide Taiwan Strait is considered uncommon. The carrier, accompanied by two other vessels, passed to the west of the unofficial border in the middle of the strait.
This show of force comes over a month after China conducted extensive aerial and naval exercises simulating strikes on Taiwan and its encirclement. The Shandong aircraft carrier also participated in those exercises, deploying J15 fighter jets.
Taiwan’s armed forces closely monitored the situation and responded with civil air patrol aircraft, navy vessels, and land-based missile systems. In the past 24 hours alone, Taiwan’s defense ministry detected 33 warplanes and 10 vessels in the region.
The last confirmed passage of the Shandong through the Taiwan Strait was in March 2022, just before Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden held a phone call. The carrier also sailed through the strait in December 2020 and December 2019, during sensitive periods for Taiwanese politics.
