The passage of the Chinese aircraft carrier “Shandong” through the strait is considered unusual.
According to reports from Taipei, three Chinese ships crossed the Taiwan Strait. The Taiwanese Ministry of Defense announced on Saturday that the aircraft carrier Shandong was among them. The three ships passed through the Taiwan Strait “west of the north center line”.
Shandong’s passage through the 180-kilometer-wide Taiwan Strait is rare. Taiwan’s military “is monitoring the situation and has designated aircraft (civil air patrol), naval vessels and land-based missile systems to respond to these activities,” the ministry said.
tense situation
Relations between China and Taiwan are currently extremely strained. China held a large-scale military exercise dubbed the “United Sword” around Taiwan last month. Chinese units simulated attacks on “key targets” in Taiwan and practiced blockading the island. With the military exercises, Beijing responded to a visit to the United States by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.
Beijing views democratic and autonomous Taiwan as a breakaway territory that it wants to reunite with the mainland – using military force if necessary.
(APA/AFP)