A Chinese aircraft carrier has passed through the Taiwan Strait along with its escort ships heading north after being near the Taiwanese-controlled Pratas Islands, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said today, as quoted by Reuters and BTA.
The agency said the Chinese ships, one of which was the oldest of China’s three aircraft carriers, the Liaoning, were spotted last night and its forces tracked them. The Pratas Islands are located at the northern end of the South China Sea.
Reuters notes that the Chinese Ministry of Defense has not yet responded to a request for comment.
Last week, the Liaoning took part in Chinese military exercises near the island of Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory, despite strong objections from the government in Taipei.
Taiwan then said that during these exercises, the Liaoning was stationed off the island’s southeast coast and planes took off from its deck.
Last month, Japan reported that the same aircraft carrier entered Japanese territorial waters for the first time.