Chinese plane provider sailed by way of strait, claims Taiwan

By Reuters: A Chinese plane provider group led by the vessel Shandong sailed by way of the delicate Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, Taiwan’s defence ministry mentioned, amid heightened navy pressure over the island Beijing claims as its personal territory.

The ministry mentioned the Shandong, commissioned in 2019, had sailed in a southerly route by way of the western a part of the strait, and it had dispatched “appropriate forces” to watch the Chinese actions.

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The plane provider participated in Chinese navy drills round Taiwan in April, working within the western Pacific. In March final yr, it sailed by way of the Taiwan Strait, simply hours earlier than the leaders of China and the U.S. have been because of speak.

China, which has by no means renounced using pressure to carry Taiwan beneath its management, has stepped up navy actions close to the democratically ruled island to pressure it to just accept Chinese sovereignty.

Taiwan strongly disputes Beijing’s sovereignty claims and vows to defend itself if attacked.

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