Taiwan tracks Chinese aircraft carrier through strait

Taiwanese officials said the Chinese navy's aircraft carrier Shandong and two escort ships had moved north through the strait.

"A three-ship People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) fleet led by the aircraft carrier Shandong passed through the Taiwan Strait at noon today," Taiwan's defense agency announced on May 27.

Taiwanese officials described the Chinese military vessels as moving west of the median line, the unofficial maritime boundary between the island and the mainland, heading toward waters north of Taiwan.

Taiwan's defense forces said they had deployed patrol aircraft, warships and anti-ship missiles into position to respond. Taipei is "closely monitoring the activities" of the PLAN group and is ready to respond accordingly.

The last time the Shandong aircraft carrier passed through the 180-km-wide strait between Taiwan and China was in March 2022.

The Shandong aircraft carrier and its escort warships conduct drills in the Pacific Ocean in August 2022. Photo: PLA — The Shandong aircraft carrier and its escort warships conduct drills in the Pacific Ocean in August 2022. Photo: *PLA*

Chinese media reported on May 6 that the Shandong, China's first domestically developed and built aircraft carrier, has returned to its home port on Hainan Island after completing combat readiness training in waters east of Taiwan.

The ship passed through the Bashi Channel southeast of Taiwan on April 5, and then participated in live-fire drills scheduled for April 8-11 by the PLA's Eastern Theater Command. Chinese media reported that the Shandong conducted drills with J-15 fighters at the time.

Taiwan has seen an increase in the number of mainland warships and military aircraft approaching the island in recent days. The island's defense agency detected 33 mainland military aircraft approaching the island and 10 warships approaching on May 26.