China carrier fleet passes near rival Taiwan

A Chinese aircraft carrier fleet has passed near Taiwan, sparking a response from the United States

A Chinese aircraft carrier fleet has passed near Taiwan, prompting the self-governing island to scramble ships and jets to monitor the situation.

Taiwan’s defense ministry says the southbound Chinese fleet passed into the Taiwan Strait on Sunday but stayed on China’s side of the waterway that separates the island from China.

The ministry says Taiwan scrambled ships and jets to monitor the fleet.

It says Japanese ships were also following the Chinese fleet. The ministry did not give details.

China has passed aircraft carriers into the strait since Taiwan President Tsai lng-wen took office in 2016. China resents Tsai for declining to see Taiwan and China as parts of the same country and resents her improved relations with Washington.