The first transit of China's most modern aircraft carrier through the Taiwan Strait since its commissioning sends a clear message of power, at a time when tensions in the region are escalating. China's newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, crossed the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday, according to an announcement by the Taiwan Ministry of Defense. This marks its first transit through this highly sensitive maritime passage since it officially entered service last month.
Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory, reports Chinese military activity around the island almost daily as part of a pressure campaign that Taipei says targets its democratically elected government.
Monitoring by Taiwan's armed forces
In a statement on Wednesday, Taiwan's Ministry of Defense said the Fujian crossed the strait the previous day and that Taiwanese forces closely monitored its course. The ministry released a blurry, black-and-white photo of the aircraft carrier with no aircraft on deck, without specifying where the image was taken or providing further details. The Chinese Ministry of Defense did not immediately respond to a request for comment, according to Reuters.
Estimates of course toward shipyard
Speaking to lawmakers, Taiwan's Defense Minister Wellington Koo stated that the ship was likely heading toward Changxing Island in Shanghai, where the primary Chinese naval shipyard is located. As he noted, the ministry did not detect any military activities during the transit. China maintains that it has exclusive sovereignty over the Taiwan Strait, one of the world's most important maritime trade channels. Taiwan and the United States, by contrast, consider it to be international waters.
Parallel military movements
In a separate announcement later on Wednesday, Taiwan's Ministry of Defense reported that China had been conducting a "joint combat readiness patrol" near the island since morning, involving 23 warplanes and warships. Among the aircraft were J-10 fighters and H-6K bombers, which are capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
The Fujian and the new era of the Chinese navy
The Fujian is China's third aircraft carrier and its most advanced to date. It features a flat flight deck and electromagnetic catapults for launching aircraft, a fact that makes it potentially much more powerful than the country's two previous Russian-designed aircraft carriers.
Unlike the Liaoning and Shandong, which are smaller and rely on "ski-jump" takeoff ramps, the Fujian will be able to carry more and more heavily armed fighter jets. It is also expected to host a wider variety of aircraft, including early warning planes and, in the future, China's first stealth fighters suitable for carrier use.
President Xi Jinping attended the commissioning and flag-raising ceremony of the ship in Hainan province last month and inspected the aircraft carrier on deck. The Taiwan government rejects Chinese sovereignty claims, emphasizing that only the people of the island have the right to decide their future.
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