China says the group of carriers exercising near Taiwan, the exercises will become commonplace

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – A group of Chinese carriers is exercising near Taiwan and these exercises will be done regularly, the Chinese navy said on Monday in a new escalation of tensions near the island that Beijing claims as its territory sovereign.

Taiwan has complained about an increase in Chinese military activity near it in recent months, while China is stepping up efforts to assert its sovereignty over the democratically managed island.

The Chinese navy said the carrier group, led by Liaoning, the country’s first active aircraft carrier, was conducting “routine” exercises in waters near Taiwan.

The goal is to “improve its capacity to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests,” he said.

“Similar exercises will be done on a regular basis in the future,” the Navy added, without detailing it.

China’s statement after Taiwan’s Defense Ministry reported Monday on a new Chinese air force raid on the island’s air defense identification zone.

The Taiwan Defense Ministry said it had a “full understanding” of the air and sea situation surrounding Taiwan and was “properly addressing” the matter.

Japan’s Defense Ministry said Sunday that the Liaoning, accompanied by five escort ships, had transited the Miyako Strait to the Pacific.

The Global Times, widely read by China, published by the Communist Party official Daily, noted that the Nanchang, the first of a powerful 055-type destroyer fleet to enter service last year, was part of group of carriers.

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

The Liaoning and its sister ship Shandong have conducted drills or sailed near Taiwan before.

In December 2019, shortly before the presidential and parliamentary elections in Taiwan, Shandong sailed through the sensitive Taiwan Strait, an action condemned by Taiwan as an attempt at intimidation.

Taiwan is China’s most sensitive territorial issue and a potential military flashpoint. China has never given up on using force to put the island under its control.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen is overseeing a renewal of the island’s army, launching new equipment such as stealthy “killer carrier” corvettes.