Taiwan's defence ministry said China's most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, sailed through the Taiwan Strait this week, marking its first passage through the sensitive waterway since officially entering service last month.
The ministry said Taiwanese forces closely monitored the carrier as it transited the strait on Tuesday, and released a grainy image of the ship at sea. No aircraft were visible on its deck. China's defence ministry did not immediately comment.
The Fujian is China's third aircraft carrier
Beijing considers Taiwan its territory and says it has sovereignty over the strait, a key global shipping route. Taiwan and the United States say the waterway is international. Taipei reports near-daily Chinese military activity around the island, which it sees as part of ongoing pressure from Beijing.
The Fujian is China's third aircraft carrier and its most capable to date. Unlike China's earlier carriers, it has a flat flight deck and electromagnetic catapults, allowing it to launch heavier and more advanced aircraft. President Xi Jinping attended its commissioning ceremony last month.