China's aircraft carrier sails by Taiwan as tensions grow

Taipei, Jan 17 (AFP) China's sole operational aircraftcarrier passed through the Taiwan Strait today, the island'sdefence ministry said, as Beijing...

Taipei, Jan 17 (AFP) China's sole operational aircraftcarrier passed through the Taiwan Strait today, the island'sdefence ministry said, as Beijing steps up pressure on itsdemocratic rival.

It comes weeks after Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wenwarned against what she called China's "military expansion" --the increase of air and naval drills around the island sinceshe came to power in May 2016.

Beijing views the self-ruling island as part of itsterritory, to be reunified at some point.

Cross-strait relations have become increasingly frosty asTsai refuses to acknowledge Taiwan is part of "one China".

The aircraft carrier -- a second-hand Soviet ship --caused a stir in Taiwan when it first entered the strait inJanuary last year, viewed as a symbolic show of strength byBeijing.

The defence ministry said the Liaoning carrier andaccompanying vessels entered Taiwan's air defence zone earlythis morning and left by noon.

The fleet, which earlier this month had sailed souththrough the strait that separates Taiwan and China, was seenagain heading north, it said.

As in the past two crossings, the ship did not enterTaiwanese waters, the ministry added.

"The military conducted surveillance and took responsivemeasures during the whole process," the ministry said in astatement.

"There were no unusual activities during the time thefleet passed through the Taiwan Strait. We urge people not toworry," it added.

Built nearly 30 years ago, the carrier was commissionedin 2012 after extensive refits.

According to Taiwan's defence ministry, Chinese warplanesconducted 25 drills around Taiwan between August 2016 andmid-December last year.

The latest Liaoning appearance also comes after tensionswere further fuelled by China starting new flight routes inthe Taiwan Strait without consulting Taiwan.

Taipei questioned the move as politically motivated andcalled it reckless, saying it threatened the island's securityand could compromise flight safety. (AFP)SMJ.

This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.

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