- China’s third aircraft carrier, Fujian (CV-18), transited the Taiwan Strait for the second time, with Taiwan’s armed forces monitoring and responding.
- Taiwan’s Defense Ministry reported 40 PLA aircraft sorties and eight naval vessels around the island, with 26 aircraft crossing the median line and entering Taiwan’s ADIZ.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN )’s newest aircraft carrier, Fujian (CV-18), transited the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, marking the second time the carrier has passed through the sensitive waterway, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense.
The Taiwanese military said they monitored the carrier’s movement and responded in line with established procedures. The transit comes amid heightened Chinese military activity around Taiwan and renewed attention on Beijing’s expanding naval capabilities.
The Fujian is China’s third aircraft carrier and the first designed and built domestically. The carrier is equipped with a more advanced catapult-assisted take-off system, described as “a powerful launch system to rapidly accelerate fixed-wing planes for short-distance flight.” The system is intended to support heavier aircraft and higher sortie rates than earlier Chinese carriers.
Taiwanese defense officials and analysts view the deployment of a third aircraft carrier as a visible indicator of China’s military build-up. The presence of Fujian in the Taiwan Strait is widely seen as part of a broader campaign to pressure Taiwan and to deter outside intervention in potential contingencies across the Western Pacific, East China Sea, and South China Sea.
The carrier transit coincided with a sharp increase in Chinese air and naval activity around Taiwan. According to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense, as of 6 a.m. local time on Thursday, the military detected 40 sorties of Chinese military aircraft and eight People’s Liberation Army Navy vessels operating around the island.
The ministry said that of the 40 aircraft sorties, 26 crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern, and eastern air defense identification zone.
In a post on X, the Ministry of National Defense said, “40 sorties of PLA aircraft and 8 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC 8) today. 26 out of 40 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded.”
Taiwan routinely reports such activity as part of its effort to provide transparency on Chinese military operations near its territory. The median line, while not formally recognized by Beijing, has long served as a tacit boundary aimed at reducing the risk of miscalculation between the two sides.
The Fujian carrier represents a step forward in China’s carrier program. Unlike the Liaoning and Shandong, which use ski-jump ramps for aircraft launch, Fujian is designed around catapult-assisted take-offs. This configuration is expected to allow China to operate a wider range of aircraft, including early warning platforms and heavier strike aircraft, with greater operational flexibility.
Chinese state media have portrayed Fujian as a symbol of technological progress and national defense development. Taiwanese officials, however, emphasize the strategic signaling involved when such a platform operates near the island.
The increase in aircraft crossings and naval deployments reflects the broader state of cross-strait relations, which remain strained. Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China, operates as a self-governing democracy with its own military, political institutions, and economy.
Beijing continues to claim Taiwan as part of its territory under the “One China” principle, asserting that there is only one China with its capital in Beijing. Taiwan rejects that claim and maintains that its future should be decided by its people.