Taipei, Taiwan - Officials on Taiwan have said that they are "on alert" after detecting a Chinese aircraft carrier group in sovereign waters south of the self-ruled island nation.

The Chinese Liaoning aircraft carrier group entered the Bashi Channel, which separates Taiwan from the Philippines. It is believed that the carrier will continue to travel through the channel and out into the west Pacific.

Labeled as "provocative" by Taipei, the Taiwanese defense ministry is continuing to monitor the vessels and remain on high alert days after Taiwan's President Lai gave a high-profile speech on the country's independence.

"The Taiwanese military is employing joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems to closely monitor related activities and remains on alert, prepared to respond as necessary," a spokesperson from Taiwan's defense ministry said in a statement.

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Over the last few months, Beijing and Taipei have increasingly been at loggerheads over the issue of Taiwan's independence, with Chinese marine vessels and aircraft entering and circling the island nation's territory on multiple occasions.

The US has continued to approve and send massive amounts of military funding to Taipei, to the anger of China, which has criticized the Biden administration for supporting Taiwanese "separatism."

On Friday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Beijing against taking action against Taipei following a speech by Taiwanese President Lai Ching-Te.

"We continue to underscore the importance of upholding freedom of navigation and overflight in the South and East China Seas, as well as the need to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," Blinken said in a statement issued by the State Department.

China's choice to send an aircraft carrier group south of Taiwan is thought to be a response to Lai's speech on Thursday, in which he vowed to "resist annexation."

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In the speech, Lai urged China to maintain peace and security in the Taiwan Strait and commemorated the Taiwanese people's positions as "exiles."

"Taiwan is resolved in our commitment to upholding peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and achieving global security and prosperity," Lai said in the speech.

"We are willing to work with China on addressing climate change, combatting infectious diseases, and maintaining regional security to pursue peace and mutual prosperity for the well-being of the people on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait."