Chinese Aircraft Carrier Sails By Taiwan Again

China's sole aircraft carrier has passed through the Taiwan Strait, the island's defence ministry said on Wednesday, as Beijing warned against any move to "separate the country".

The Liaoning and accompanying vessels entered Taiwan's air defence zone on Tuesday and left around noon on Wednesday, the ministry said.

On Tuesday, President Xi Jinping delivered a blistering nationalist speech in Beijing, warning against what he called any attempts to split China.

Cross strait ties have turned frosty since Taiwan's Beijing-sceptic President Tsai Ing-wen came to power. Her government refuses to acknowledge that the island is part of "one China".

Tsai has warned against what she called the mainland's military expansion – the increase in air and naval drills around the island since she took office in May 2016.

The aircraft carrier – which had made a port call in Hong Kong last year – caused a stir in Taiwan when it first entered the strait in January last year in what was seen as a show of strength by Beijing. It returned in January this year.

"We are monitoring the whole process of the Liaoning's cross-region drill," Defence Minister Yeh De-fa told parliament on Wednesday when asked to comment on its latest moves.

The defence ministry said in a statement that it sent aircraft and vessels to conduct surveillance. "No unusual activities have been spotted and we urge the public to rest assured," it said. (AFP)