TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND, 國防部) reported on Wednesday (Sept. 18) that a Chinese naval formation, led by the Liaoning aircraft carrier (遼寧號), sailed through waters northeast of Taiwan, heading toward the southeast of Japan's Yonaguni Island.
This development followed Chinese military activities, including the tailing of a U.S. aircraft flying through the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday (Sept. 17). According to Taiwan’s MND, "the armed forces monitored the situation and responded accordingly" during the incident.
The ministry also noted the detection of nine Chinese military aircraft, 13 naval vessels, and one official ship in a 24-hour period, ending at 6:00 a.m. Wednesday (2200 GMT Tuesday).
Li Xi (李希), a senior captain and spokesperson for the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), confirmed the flight of the U.S. P-8A anti-submarine patrol aircraft through the Taiwan Strait.
Li stated, "Theater troops are on constant high alert to resolutely defend national sovereignty and security and regional peace and stability."
Both the Liaoning and Shandong aircraft carriers have passed through the Taiwan Strait multiple times in recent years as Beijing increases its military and political pressure on the island.
Taiwan's military continues to report near-daily sightings of Chinese warplanes, drones, and naval vessels in the surrounding region. As tensions persist, concerns over regional stability are mounting in both Taipei and Beijing.
