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China · Geopolitics · Naval Expansion · Taiwan
China's third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, completed its maiden voyage, while the US Navy destroyer USS Halsey transited the Taiwan Strait, intensifying strategic competition as Taiwan's new President Lai Ching-te took office.
Lai Ching-te urged China to cease military and political threats and respect Taiwan's choice for peace, but Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called Lai "disgraceful," rejecting talks and reiterating Beijing's "One China Principle." China views Lai as a "separatist" and considers formal independence grounds for attacking the island. The PLA Eastern Theater Command monitored and warned off the USS Halsey during its passage.
China's naval expansion, including the Fujian and the planned nuclear-powered Type 004 carrier, significantly enhances its anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities, aiming to hinder US naval presence and project power in the Indo-Pacific. This development widens China's military gap with Taiwan and bolsters Beijing's confidence regarding potential use of force, despite ongoing US arms sales to Taiwan.
The Taiwan issue remains a volatile flashpoint, with the balance of power, diplomacy, and restraint crucial for regional and global stability.
