TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense on Tuesday confirmed it monitored a Chinese tank landing ship photographed in waters off northern Taiwan by an airline passenger on June 27.  

A traveler flying from Shanghai to Taipei Songshan Airport saw the ship and took photos, per PTS News. The passenger later researched the vessel and identified it as a PLA Type 072A landing ship.

The landing ship was approximately 50 to 60 nautical miles (92 to 111 km) from Taiwan's north coast. The passenger saw no Taiwanese vessels near it at the time. 

Former Air Force Institute of Technology officer Lin Yu-feng (林毓峯) said it was alarming that no Coast Guard vessel was seen nearby. Even if its presence was known, Lin found it surprising that a PLA landing ship would be allowed to linger in waters off Keelung without an apparent response. 

Lin said the Type 072A landing ship can carry 250 troops, 10 tanks, two medium helicopters, and four landing craft. It is one of the PLA’s primary landing vessels, designed for amphibious assaults and logistical supply missions.

He added PLA landing ships typically operate in waters off eastern Taiwan, making this sighting near Keelung unusual.

Navy Chief of Staff Chiu Chun-jung (邱俊榮) said, “We are closely monitoring its movements, regardless of whether it was conducting reconnaissance of key sea areas, familiarizing itself with shipping lanes, or coordinating with other forces. All such activities are within our reconnaissance and surveillance scope, and we are responding appropriately.”

Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), a research fellow at the MND's Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said, “Whether it was returning to bases in the Eastern or Northern Theater Commands, or conducting battlefield reconnaissance and environmental familiarization, it remained well within range of Taiwan’s shore-based anti-ship missiles.”