Taiwan's defense ministry has announced China's aircraft carrier Shandong sailed through waters southeast of Taiwan on Monday into the western Pacific Ocean to conduct an exercise.

The ministry said the Shandong passed through a waterway 60 nautical miles, or some 110 kilometers, southeast of Taiwan's southernmost point before heading to the western Pacific.

The ministry said it also confirmed Chinese military aircraft, including J-16 fighters, flew near Taiwan. Of them, 11 were found to have crossed the Taiwan Strait's median line and entered the airspace near Taiwan.

It also announced that the military monitored the situation and tasked aircraft, vessels and land-based missile systems to respond.

The Shandong is China's first domestically built aircraft carrier, and has been in service since December 2019.
It was confirmed to have navigated in the Pacific for the first time this April, and sailed through the Taiwan Strait in June.

The transit comes as a US destroyer and a Canadian frigate conducted a routine transit through the Taiwan Strait on Saturday.

The move prompted a Chinese military spokesperson to announce its forces monitored the ships and handled the situation in accordance with the law and regulations.