According to Taiwan’s Defense Ministry, three Chinese naval vessels, including the Shandong aircraft carrier, were detected traversing the Taiwan Strait on Saturday. This move comes as part of Beijing’s ongoing efforts to exert influence over Taiwan, which it regards as a renegade province.
The ministry is keeping a close eye on the ship movements and is prepared to react as necessary. The Defense Ministry confirmed via Twitter that the trio of ships were heading north via the Taiwan Strait, adhering to the west side of the median line, a line once mutually and silently recognized by both territories.
China’s military engagement around Taiwan has seen a sharp rise in recent months, coinciding with worsening relations between China and the United States. Beijing views Taiwan as an integral part of its territory, reserved for potential forceful reunification, and frequently dispatches aircraft and naval vessels into proximate airspaces and waters.
The Defense Ministry also reported that in the day-long span from Friday morning to Saturday, 33 aircraft and 10 naval vessels of the People’s Liberation Army of China were detected near Taiwan. It was noted that twelve of these aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait or entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone.
In retaliation, Taiwan mobilized its military assets, deploying aircraft, naval vessels, and ground-based missile systems.
Earlier in April, the Chinese military declared readiness for combat following three days of extensive warfare drills around Taiwan. These maneuvers were reportedly a simulated blockade of the island, a response to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s trip to the United States.
Moreover, in the previous August, China escalated its military exercises around Taiwan. After then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei, China responded with missile launches and encroachments into Taiwanese territorial waters and airspace.
