BEIJING (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th November, 2019) China's first domestically-built aircraft carrier has sailed through the Taiwan Strait and is on its way to the South China Sea, the country's Navy confirmed on Monday.
On Sunday, Taiwan's Defense Ministry said that the Chinese aircraft carrier, escorted by guard ships, had entered the Taiwan Strait while being shadowed by US and Japanese naval vessels. Taipei noted that it had sent aircraft and ships to monitor the group of Chinese vessels.
"On November 17, the second Chinese aircraft carrier successfully sailed through the Taiwan Strait and headed to the South China Sea for scientific research tests and routine exercises," a Chinese Navy spokesman said, as quoted by the Xinhua news agency.
He stressed that the passage was a part of planned maneuvers that were not directed against any anyone and had nothing to do with the situation in the region.
The Type 001A aircraft carrier, the first to be built in China, was launched in 2017. The ship made its maiden voyage in May 2018.
The first vessel of this type in the Chinese Navy is a refitted Soviet aircraft carrier, which was purchased from Ukraine.
