Chinese aircraft carriers sailing through Taiwan Strait put Taipei on high alert
Taipei, Taiwan - A group of Chinese aircraft carriers sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, putting Taipei on alert amid weeks of ongoing military drills.
A day after China began live-fire military drills on an island less than 70 miles from Taiwan, Taipei revealed that China's oldest aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, is currently passing through the Strait.
According to Taiwan's defense ministry, the Liaoning passed through the Strait, sailing north. It did not, according to Defense Minister Wellington Koo, cross the median line of the passage.
"The PLA Navy vessels, led by the aircraft carrier Liaoning, sailed through waters near Dongsha (the Pratas Islands) and continued northward toward the Taiwan Strait," Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense announced on X, formerly Twitter.
"The #ROCArmedForces monitored the situation and responded accordingly," the Defense Ministry statement read.
China has been conducting large-scale military exercises around Taiwan for more than a week, beginning when the Liaoning carrier passed into the Bashi Channel on October 13.
Beijing encircled Taiwan with military vessels and aircraft to send a "stern warning" before testing missiles and conducting a variety of provocative drills.
In response, the US and Canada sailed warships through the Taiwan Strait as a signal of strength aimed at upholding freedom of navigation.
Beijing says "Taiwan is part of China's territory"
In response to questions by the AFP during his daily press briefing, China's defense ministry spokesperson, Lin Jian, reiterated that Taiwan "is a province of China."
"There is no so-called 'defense ministry' or 'defense minister' of Taiwan," spokesperson Lin said. "What you asked about is not about foreign affairs either. Taiwan is part of China's territory. It is just normal for China's aircraft carrier to carry out relevant activities."
"Let me stress that whatever the Taiwan authorities say or do, they cannot change the fact that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one and the same China. Nor can they change the trend that the two sides of the Strait will and must be reunited."
Cover photo: AFP/Greg Baker