Taiwan says Chinese aircraft carrier passes through Taiwan Strait

By Emre Aytekin

BEIJING (AA) - China’s aircraft carrier Shandong sailed through the Taiwan Strait accompanied by two other ships, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said.

The flotilla went “to the west of the median line, heading northward,” the ministry said in a statement on Saturday, referring to the unofficial border in the middle of the strait which separates the island from continental Asia.

This came after Taiwan reportedly received the first shipment of Stinger missiles from the US under its emergency military aid program on late Thursday.

Taipei said it is monitoring the situation and will respond accordingly.