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China's newest aircraft carrier, the Fujian, transited the Taiwan Strait on Tuesday, according to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense, in a development that comes as Taiwan conducts a series of military readiness exercises amid heightened cross-strait tensions.
As per Focus Taiwan, in a brief statement issued Tuesday night, Taiwan's defence ministry said its military was closely tracking the carrier's movement. "Taiwan's military is closely monitoring [the Fujian] using its joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems," the ministry said. The ministry also released a surveillance photograph of the carrier. No aircraft were visible on the vessel's deck, and officials did not disclose when or where the image was taken. The Fujian, China's first indigenously designed aircraft carrier, was commissioned in November 2025. According to information released by Taiwan's defence ministry, the vessel last transited the Taiwan Strait in December 2025. The transit comes as Taiwan this week (June 22-26) launched five days of military exercises aimed at strengthening its combat readiness in the event of a potential Chinese military attack. According to Taipei Times, the "immediate combat readiness drills" are designed to test how quickly military units can deploy in response to a sudden escalation of Chinese "gray zone" activities. "Gray zone" tactics refer to as coercive actions that stop short of open conflict, including naval patrols, military aircraft incursions and drone operations. Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense said the drills would emphasize "real-time, live-fire and on-site" training to enhance operational preparedness and response capabilities, Taipei Times reported. As per Taipei Times expert analysis report of June 20, Taiwan National Security Institute Deputy Secretary-General Ho Cheng-hui argued that Beijing is exploiting gaps in international law and using legal instruments to justify increasingly assertive behaviour in contested waters. Ho identified Taiwan's exclusive economic zones, the median line in the Taiwan Strait, and the waters surrounding Kinmen and Matsu as likely flashpoints for future Chinese activity. He said China's coast guard has become a key tool in this strategy, frequently operating near disputed maritime boundaries to create uncertainty and challenge established norms. (ANI)
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