World News
Taiwan News : Taiwan detects China’s new aircraft carrier Fujian transiting Taiwan Strait
Taiwan’s defence ministry confirmed the transit of China’s newly commissioned aircraft carrier Fujian through the Taiwan Strait amid heightened PLA air and naval activity.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) said on Wednesday that China’s newest aircraft carrier, Fujian (CV-18), transited the Taiwan Strait, marking its first such passage since being commissioned in November.
Sharing visuals of the transit on X, the MND said, “The PLA Navy’s Fujian aircraft carrier (CV-18) transited the Taiwan Strait yesterday. The ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and responded.”
According to Focus Taiwan, this was the first time Taiwan’s military has observed the Fujian operating in the strait since it entered service. The Fujian is China’s third aircraft carrier and the first to be fully designed and built domestically. It features advanced electromagnetic catapult systems, enabling more efficient and rapid launch of fixed-wing aircraft compared to older ski-jump designs.
Analysts cited by Focus Taiwan said the deployment of a third carrier reflects China’s expanding naval capabilities and forms part of Beijing’s broader strategy to exert military pressure on Taiwan and deter potential intervention in the Western Pacific, as well as the East and South China Seas.
The carrier transit comes amid heightened Chinese military activity around Taiwan. The MND said it detected 40 sorties of PLA aircraft and eight People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels operating around Taiwan’s surrounding waters as of 6 a.m. on Thursday.
“Out of 40 aircraft sorties, 26 crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defence identification zones,” the MND said, adding that Taiwanese forces monitored the situation and responded accordingly.
The increased frequency of air and maritime operations underscores rising tensions across the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), governs itself independently with its own political, economic and military systems.
China, however, claims Taiwan as part of its territory under the “One China” principle and has repeatedly stated that reunification remains a core national objective. The dispute dates back to 1949, when the ROC government relocated to Taiwan following the Communist Party’s victory in the Chinese Civil War.
Despite sustained diplomatic, economic and military pressure from Beijing, Taiwan continues to assert its de facto independence with strong domestic support. The island’s defence ministry regularly discloses Chinese military movements to maintain transparency and keep the public informed about national security developments.
