China's Navy Puts On Show of Force Near Taiwan

China sailed an aircraft carrier through the Taiwan Strait early on Thursday, one week after a pair of American and Canadian warships did the same, in a tit-for-tat show of force along the strategic waterway. The Shandong, the second of three carriers operated by the People's Liberation Army Navy, steamed northward through the middle of the strait and prompted Taipei to scramble "Appropriate forces" to monitor its movements, Taiwan's Defense Ministry said. Their forces are meeting more frequently in nearby skies and seas as China's military expands westward into the Pacific. The Chinese "Flat top" warship launched and recovered 570 aircraft-420 fighter jets and 150 helicopters-during its Pacific exercise from October 28 to November 5, which concluded with its return to the South China Sea on Monday, according to a report by the Joint Staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Tokyo said the Shandong was escorted by a flotilla of between five and nine other PLA Navy vessels, including missile destroyers, during its training south of Japan's Miyako Island. The Nimitz-class supercarriers USS Ronald Reagan and USS Carl Vinson conducted joint exercises at sea with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopter destroyer JS Hyuga on Tuesday, according to images released by the U.S. Navy. "The ships and aircraft of the two naval forces, with more than 10,000 sailors, conducted coordinated surface and air operations in a complex maritime environment to demonstrate the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Joint Force's ability to deliver a powerful maritime force," said a joint statement by both carrier strike groups.