Taiwanese military jets scrambled to shadow a Chinese aircraft carrier passing through the Taiwan Strait en route to Hong Kong to mark the 20th anniversary of the former British colony’s return to China.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) on Saturday swore in Hong Kong’s new leader with a stark warning that Beijing would not tolerate any challenge to its authority in the divided territory, in his strongest speech yet amid concerns over what some perceive as increased meddling by Beijing.
The Soviet-built Liaoning, whose home port is in northern China, on Saturday entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) and was sailing just west of the middle of the Taiwan Strait, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
Photo: Reuters
Taiwan deployed military jets and ships to monitor the fleet’s passage, the ministry said.
Nothing abnormal had been detected as the Chinese battle group headed southwest and was expected to leave Taiwan’s ADIZ by yesterday evening, the ministry said.
The naval formation headed by the Liaoning entered Taiwan’s ADIZ on Saturday and was yesterday sailing southwest along the Taiwan Strait, the Ministry of National Defense said.
The battle group was sailing west of the Taiwan Strait’s mid-line, the ministry said, predicting that it would leave the ADIZ by 8:30pm yesterday. This could not be confirmed as of press time last night.
Under the military’s regulations for handling quickly changing conditions during periods of regular combat readiness, aircraft and ships were dispatched to monitor the formation’s movement and the military would take responsive action in the event of any abrupt developments, the ministry said.
“Currently no such situation has occurred,” it added.
The Liaoning is to be open to the public in Hong Kong to showcase the “military might” of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy, Xinhua news agency cited its spokesman, Liang Yang (梁陽), as saying.
It is due to arrive on Friday, Hong Kong media said.
The formation is comprised of the Liaoning, the destroyers Jinan and Yinchuan, the frigate Yantai, and a squadron of J-15 fighter jets and helicopters, Yang told reporters.
It was the third time that the Liaoning has sailed near Taiwan in past months for what Beijing has said were routine drills in December last year and again in January.
China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control.
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