Taiwan 'on alert' after detecting Chinese aircraft carrier group
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Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense says the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning and its group had passed through the Bashi Channel.
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The Liaoning, China's first aircraft carrier, departs Hong Kong, Tuesday, July 11, 2017. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Taiwan announced that it was "on alert" after detecting a Chinese aircraft carrier group near its South on Sunday.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday warned China against a response to a speech by Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te during the island’s National Day celebrations.
In recent years, China, which considers Taiwan part of its territory and opposes any direct official foreign contact with the island, has escalated military operations around Taiwan, frequently deploying warplanes and other military aircraft, while Chinese vessels maintain a near-constant presence in the surrounding waters.
On Sunday, Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense reported that the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning and its group had passed through the Bashi Channel, a waterway separating Taiwan from the Philippines, and was "likely to proceed into the western Pacific."
"The Taiwanese military is employing joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems to closely monitor related activities and remains on alert, prepared to respond as necessary," it confirmed in a statement.
Both Taiwanese and US officials had previously warned of any Chinese military exercises in retaliation to Lai’s address.
The United States, while not maintaining formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, remains its most crucial ally and largest arms supplier.
In his Thursday speech, Lai pledged to resist what he labeled as the "annexation" of Taiwan, claiming that Beijing and Taipei were "not subordinate to each other."
Following his remarks, China issued a stern warning, stressing that Lai’s "provocations" would lead to "disaster" for Taiwan’s people.
Taiwan’s National Day, observed on Thursday, commemorated the 113th anniversary of the overthrow of China’s Qing dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China—Taiwan’s official name.
The ongoing dispute between China and Taiwan traces back to the Chinese Civil War, in which the nationalist forces, led by Chiang Kai-shek, retreated to Taiwan in 1949 after being defeated by Mao Zedong's communist forces.
While Taiwan operates its own government, military, and currency, it has never declared formal independence from mainland China.
On Sunday, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry also reported that 11 Chinese military aircraft and eight naval vessels had been detected near the island in the 24 hours leading up to 6:00 am.
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