China says the carrier group is training near Taiwan, drills will be regular

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – A Chinese carrier group is practicing near Taiwan and such exercises will become regular, the Chinese navy said late on Monday in a further escalation of tensions near the island that Beijing claims as its sovereign territory.

Taiwan has been complaining about an increase in Chinese military activity near recent months as China is stepping up efforts to assert its sovereignty over the democratically-run island.

The Chinese Navy said the carrier group, led by Liaoning, the country’s first aircraft carrier to enter active service, was conducting “routine” exercises in the waters off Taiwan.

The goal is to “increase its ability to protect national sovereignty, security and development interests,” he said.

“Similar exercises will be conducted regularly in the future,” added the Navy, without elaborating.

China’s statement follows Taiwan’s defense ministry that reported a new raid by the Chinese air force into the identification zone of the island’s air defenses on Monday.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense said it had a “full understanding” of the air and sea situation around Taiwan and that it was “handling the matter properly”.

Japan’s Defense Ministry said on Sunday that the Liaoning, accompanied by five escort ships, had crossed Miyako Street on its way to the Pacific Ocean.

China’s widely-read Global Times, published by the ruling Communist Party’s official People’s Daily, noted that the Nanchang, the first of a powerful new fleet of Type 055 destroyers to enter service last year, was part of the carrier group.

“The combination of 055 aircraft carriers and large destroyers will become a standard configuration of task groups for Chinese aircraft carriers in the future,” he added.

The Liaoning and its sister ship the Shandong have previously exercised or sailed near Taiwan.

In December 2019, shortly before the presidential and parliamentary elections in Taiwan, Shandong sailed through the sensitive Taiwan Strait, a movement condemned by Taiwan as attempted intimidation.

Taiwan is China’s most sensitive territorial issue and a potential military focal point. China has never relinquished the use of force to take control of the island.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen is overseeing a revamp of the island’s military by rolling out new equipment such as carrier killer stealth corvettes.