China sends its first domestically built aircraft carrier through Taiwan Strait

[nitpicker]

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/11/17/asia-pacific/china-sends-first-domestically-built-aircraft-carrier-taiwan-strait/#.XdETrMHsZEw

China sends its first domestically built aircraft carrier through Taiwan Strait

by Jesse Johnson

Staff Writer

Nov 17, 2019

China sent its second aircraft carrier, the first to be built domestically, through the Taiwan Strait on Sunday, the Defense Ministry in Taipei said, with the carrier group shadowed by U.S. and Japanese naval vessels.

The carrier, known as the Type 002 and accompanied by a battle group, sailed through the waterway from the East China Sea into the strait, the ministry said.

It said the Taiwanese military scrambled fighter jets in response and monitored the situation. No further details were immediately available.

The move came as Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen named former Prime Minister William Lai as her running mate in January’s elections. Lai last year angered Beijing by voicing support for the island nation’s formal independence.
(snip)

[ExciteBike66]

1. This is odd to me...

If we send a ship through the Taiwan Strait, it is news because of how China views Taiwan as its property, and us having a ship in the middle there is a symbol of "free navigation".

On the other hand, if China sends a ship through the strait, that ship is really just following China's coast (unless it is very close to Taiwan, I guess). Is it really a big deal for China to sail a ship in that area, considering China's coast is right there?