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PLA aircraft carrier Shandong sails through Taiwan Strait, island’s defence ministry reports
- Taipei says the vessel and two other ships travelled in northerly direction while sticking to median line that serves as unofficial barrier
- Taiwanese military monitors the group and responds ‘appropriately’, according to ministry statement
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The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft carrier Shandong sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Saturday accompanied by two other ships, Taipei’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, 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.
Taiwan’s military closely monitored the group using its own ships and aircraft and “responded appropriately”, the ministry said in a short statement.
Beijing’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.
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The Shandong took part in PLA 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 US presidents were due to talk.
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Beijing has continued military activities on a smaller scale around the island after formally ending its war games last month.
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