China's Shandong aircraft carrier led a group of warships through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, Taiwan's Defense Ministry said.

Amid heightened tensions over the island China claims as its own, Taiwan's Defense Ministry said the Shandong, commissioned in 2019, had traveled in a southerly direction through the western part of the strait. In response to the move, the ministry said it had sent "appropriate forces" to monitor the activities.

China ramps up sea, air operations

Beijing has increased sea and air incursions in recent years around self-ruled Taiwan.

"A Chinese Communist Shandong aircraft carrier group passed through the west side of the Taiwan Strait in a southerly direction today June 21," the ministry said in a statement.

"The [Taiwanese] military was closely monitoring our territorial air and sea movements and will respond accordingly," the statement added.

Last month, Taiwan also reported the Shandong's presence in the strait.

In March 2022, the Shandong passed through the Taiwan Strait, just hours before the Chinese and US presidents were due to talk by phone.

Biden compares Xi to a dictator

The development comes less than a day after US President Joe Biden likened Chinese President Xi Jinping to a dictator.

Unlike most countries, the United States doesn't agree with Beijing's claim to sovereignty over Taiwan, nor does it agree with Taipei's claim of independence. Washington does not have diplomatic relations with the island, merely "a robust unofficial relationship," according to the US State Department.

jsi/sms (AFP, Reuters)