Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/12/26 22:37
By: Matt Yu and Emerson Lim

Taipei, Dec. 26 (CNA) China's first domestically-built aircraft carrier "Shandong" is sailing through the Taiwan Strait as of Thursday evening, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) said in a statement.

The Shandong, together with escort ships, entered the Taiwan Strait from the south, sailing northwards, the ministry said, adding that it is monitoring the vessel and is ready for any contingency.

The transit happened less than three weeks before Taiwan's presidential and legislative elections on Jan. 11, 2020.

The Shandong, named after a northern province in China, was officially commissioned on Dec. 17 in the southern naval base of Sanya, Hainan Province, more than six years after construction started.
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