On June 23, China’s third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, transited through the Taiwan Strait. According to an official statement, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense confirmed that the carrier had passed through the Strait, prompting the Taiwanese military to activate “its joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance measures to closely monitor” the vessel’s movements.
The ministry also released a black-and-white aerial image of the Fujian, taken from high altitude. Notably, no carrier-based aircraft were visible on the flight deck, though the ministry did not disclose the precise time or location at which the photo was taken.
This image, released by Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense on June 23, 2026, shows China’s Fujian aircraft carrier during a transit of the Taiwan Strait.
At first glance, the transit may appear to be part of routine training for China’s newest aircraft carrier. Yet its strategic significance should not be underestimated. The Fujian’s passage through one of Asia’s most sensitive waterways comes amid a broader pattern of Chinese military and maritime law-enforcement activity around Taiwan. Beijing’s Ministry of National Defense described the operation as routine training and indicated that similar activities would continue in the future.
