Chinese aircraft carrier sailing south of Taiwan, says Taipei
TAIPEI—Taiwan reported a Chinese aircraft carrier group sailing to the island’s south on Sunday, as China’s military put out a video saying it was “prepared for battle” amid concerns in Taipei about the possibility of a new round of Chinese war games.
China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, detests its president Lai Ching-te as a “separatist,” and the Chinese military routinely operates around the island.
Last week at his keynote national day speech, Lai said the People’s Republic of China had no right to represent Taiwan, but that the island was willing to work with Beijing to combat challenges like climate change, striking both a firm and conciliatory tone, but drawing anger from China.
Taiwan’s defense ministry said in a statement that a Chinese navy group led by the carrier the Liaoning had entered waters near the Bashi Channel, which connects the South China Sea and the Pacific and separates Taiwan from the Philippines.
Vigilance
Taiwan’s armed forces are keeping a close watch on developments and “exercising an appropriate vigilance and response,” the ministry added, without elaborating.
Earlier on Sunday, the People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command put out a propaganda video on its social media accounts entitled “fully prepared and biding ones time before battle.”
It showed fighter jets and warships operating together, mobile missile launchers being moving into place and amphibious assault vehicles, with a small map of Taiwan included in one of the Chinese characters that make up the video’s title.
China has not ruled out using force to bring Taiwan under its control.
Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A Taiwan security official, speaking on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter, told Reuters they were continuing to watch the situation around the island, as well as Chinese media comments about Lai’s national day speech.
Chinese media has carried several commentaries and stories since Lai’s Thursday speech denouncing the contents as “confrontational” and harmful.
