TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) said China's Shandong aircraft carrier passed through waters south of Taiwan on Thursday (Oct. 26).

The MND said the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) aircraft carrier battle group passed through the Bashi Channel and entered the Western Pacific.

The ministry added the military used joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance methods to assess the movements of the PLAN naval vessels. It also scrambled combat patrol aircraft, dispatched naval vessels, and deployed land-based air defense missile systems.

The military conducted aerial surveillance of the Shandong and released a black-and-white photo of the warship. In the photo, numerous aircraft can be seen on the deck of the carrier.