Chinese carrier Liaoning makes bold move near Taiwan
"The Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning entered the waters near the Bashi Channel and is likely heading towards the western Pacific," according to a statement from the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense, as reported by PAP. The Taiwanese armed forces have been put on alert.
9:43 AM EDT, October 14, 2024
The Bashi Channel is a 62-mile strait between Taiwan's small island of Lan Yu and the Philippines' island of Mavulis. A squadron of Chinese ships entered the channel, heading this route to the Pacific.
From Beijing's perspective, this is a clear provocation and show of force: the area is regarded as a potential flashpoint for conflict between China and the United States. The U.S. Navy and Philippine ships have been conducting joint manoeuvres and patrols in these waters since the cooperation resumed after being suspended in 2016.
The presence of Chinese forces to the south of Taiwan has alerted its armed forces and prompted the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense to release a video on social media titled "Fully prepared and waiting for the time before the battle."
Liaoning – China's first aircraft carrier
Liaoning is China’s first naval aircraft carrier. In the 1980s, it was built in a shipyard in Mykolaiv as a unit of Project 1143.6, intended for service in the Soviet fleet.
After the collapse of the USSR, construction formally continued, but the work was practically suspended due to a lack of funding. Ultimately, in 1995, Russia decided not to complete the ship's construction. The 68% complete aircraft carrier was then sold to China at a price four times lower than its scrap value.
Formally, the ship was purchased by a Chinese company for conversion into a floating casino, but it was handed over to the Chinese Navy, which completed the vessel while modifying the original design.
Liaoning is 1,004 feet long, displaces 74,000 tons, and its air group includes 34-50 aircraft and helicopters. It comprises the naval fighter J-15 (an unlicensed copy of Russian Su-33s) and various types of helicopters.
Liaoning has become a knowledge base for the Chinese industry, allowing them to gain expertise in aircraft carrier construction. The next ship of this class, the Shandong, was built in China, and it was an improvement and development of Project 1143.6, while the following one, the Fujian, was a ship designed and built entirely by the Chinese industry.
