China's Shandong aircraft carrier (Photo: BI)
Taiwan's defense ministry said on April 5 that a Chinese aircraft carrier strike group was in waters off the island's southeast. The move comes as US House Speaker McCarthy plans to meet with Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen on April 5 (US time) while she is in transit in the US during a state visit.
China considers Taiwan an inseparable territory that must be unified at all costs, including by force. Beijing has repeatedly warned that it will retaliate if the meeting goes ahead as planned.
In August 2022, China held large-scale military exercises around Taiwan in response to then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to the island.
Taiwan said today that a strike group led by China's aircraft carrier Shandong passed through the Bashi Channel and entered waters southeast of the island.
Taiwan said the ships were on a training trip in the Western Pacific . The island said its ground-based units and radar systems were closely monitoring the Chinese vessels. Taiwan said it would maintain its stance of “non-escalation, non-dispute” in dealing with challenges.
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