US warship passes through the Taiwan Strait… China to mobilize carriers

-Amid the deepening conflict between the United States and China over Taiwan, the two sides were shown to have engaged in armed demonstrations by mobilizing destroyers and aircraft carriers in the Taiwan Strait every day. Tensions over the Taiwan Strait are increasing as Taiwanese authorities have also dispatched large numbers of naval forces and air forces to contain the movement of Chinese forces.

According to the Reuters news agency on the 20th, the Ministry of Defense of China announced on the 18th that the US destroyer’Mastin’ had passed the Taiwan Strait. China’s Eastern Front spokesman Chang Chun-hui said, “The Chinese Army’s Eastern Front Navy and Air Force are monitoring the movement of this warship.”

The U.S.’s move drew more attention as a’quad’ high-ranking bureaucratic meeting was held in which India, Japan, and Australia participated together to contain China’s expansion.

In response, China dispatched its own aircraft carrier, Shandong, to the Taiwan Strait. It is reported that the Shandong had four frigates, departing from Dalian Port in Liaoning Province on the 17th and entering the Taiwan Strait on the 19th and passing through on the 20th. Threatened by China’s voyages to Shandong, Taiwan deployed six warships and eight military aircraft to monitor Shandong’s movement and activities. Taiwanese media reported that as Chinese carriers entered the northern waters of Taiwan, Taiwanese military command moved to Hengshan command post in Dazhi, Taipei, where the military was commanded during the outbreak of war. The Shandong, equipped with a conventional diesel engine, has a maximum speed of 31 knots, a full displacement of 70,000 tons, and carries more than 40 Zen-15 aircraft. According to an analysis, Shandongham’s passage of the Taiwan Strait is a reaction to the US military activities and a warning to Taiwan’s President Cai Ing-wen, who is showing pro-US actions at the same time. President Chai worked closely with the U.S. throughout his period of power, and actively pursued the purchase of U.S.-made weapons.

Reporter Lee Se-hyung [email protected]Go to reporter page>