Taiwan says a Chinese aircraft carrier strike group has sailed through waters between Taiwan and the Philippines and entered the Western Pacific.

Taiwan's defense ministry said the group, led by the carrier, Shandong, crossed the Bashi Channel on Thursday. It published what it said was a photograph of the vessel on Thursday.

The ministry said it is closely monitoring what is happening in the sea and air near Taiwan. It added that it had deployed "appropriate" forces to keep watch.

The Shandong entered service in December 2019 as China's first domestically produced carrier. It was confirmed to have sailed in the Western Pacific in April and September this year and conducted takeoff and landing training for fighter jets and other aircraft.

Earlier, the ministry said it had detected many Chinese military aircraft over waters near Taiwan. It said they included fighters, bombers and drones.

The ministry said 15 of them had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait or entered the air defense identification zone over waters near Taiwan's southwestern coast.

The ministry said the aircraft had also carried out joint combat readiness patrols with Chinese military vessels.