Fujian Carrier Transits Taiwan Strait Into South China Sea
China’s newest aircraft carrier, the Fujian (CV-18), transited southward through the Taiwan Strait into the South China Sea on June 23, 2026, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND). The transit was detected and publicly reported by Taiwanese forces, who released a surveillance photo of the carrier taken from a Taiwan Air Force F-16 fighter jet. The movement comes on the eve of the 2026 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise, the world’s largest multinational maritime drill, which began June 24 in Hawaii.
The Fujian Carrier
The Fujian is China’s third aircraft carrier and its first equipped with an electromagnetic catapult launch system (EMALS), matching a capability previously unique to the US Navy’s newest carriers. Displacing approximately 80,000 tons, the conventionally-powered vessel was launched in June 2022 at Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai, began sea trials in May 2024, and was formally commissioned on November 5, 2025, at Sanya Naval Base in Hainan. According to Sina News, this is the Fujian’s second post-commissioning transit of the Taiwan Strait, following a northbound passage on December 16, 2025.
Monitoring and Response
Taiwan’s MND stated it utilized “integrated intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance means to maintain comprehensive monitoring and control of the situation,” as reported by Guancha.cn. The surveillance photo released by Taiwan was reportedly captured using a “Sniper” targeting pod mounted on an F-16 fighter jet. Beyond the carrier itself, Taiwan detected 11 PLA aircraft, 6 naval vessels, and 7 government vessels operating around the Taiwan Strait on June 23, with three aircraft crossing the median line.
Taiwan Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Chairperson Chiu Chui-cheng delivered strong remarks at a press briefing, stating: “Despite multiple and intensifying pressures, unprecedented in nature, our determination to defend our sovereignty and democratic system has never been stronger. On this point, there is absolutely no room for compromise. We will never yield to Chinese communist military intimidation and escalating pressure. Taiwan will never surrender!” according to Epoch Times.
Strategic Timing
The Fujian’s southward movement coincides with the return of the Liaoning carrier strike group, which completed an extended 40-plus-day far-sea combat-readiness training deployment on June 22. The Liaoning operated in the South China Sea and Western Pacific, conducting live-fire drills, carrier-based aircraft operations, and joint exercises. The People’s Liberation Army Navy described the training as “routine training organized according to its annual plan, aimed at continuously improving mission-capable capabilities, in accordance with relevant international law and practice, and not directed at any specific country or target.”
The transit also comes as the US Navy hosts RIMPAC 2026 from June 24 to July 31, with 31 participating nations, approximately 40 surface ships, 5 submarines, 140 aircraft, and over 25,000 personnel. The proximity of the Fujian’s positioning to the exercise’s opening has drawn attention from regional analysts.
Dual-Carrier Potential
With the Liaoning returning from deployment and the Fujian heading south, analysts are watching for potential dual-carrier operations in the South China Sea. A combined Fujian-Liaoning task group would represent a significant naval concentration and a milestone for China’s rapidly expanding carrier program. CCTV Military Channel has analyzed that 2026 will be the year the Fujian transitions from “basically forming combat capability to fully forming combat capability.”
Broader Context
China’s carrier program has expanded rapidly from one carrier (Liaoning, 2012) to three (Shandong, Fujian) in 14 years, with additional hulls planned. The Fujian’s EMALS technology represents a generational leap, enabling more efficient launch of fixed-wing aircraft including J-15 fighters and future carrier-based aircraft. The transit also follows a pattern of increased PLA activity around Taiwan, including Chinese Coast Guard vessels operating along Taiwan’s eastern coast as part of what Taiwan’s MND describes as a new “pressure strategy” by Beijing.
What to Watch
Key questions remain: Will the Fujian and Liaoning conduct joint exercises in the South China Sea? How will the US and RIMPAC participants respond to the Fujian’s positioning? And is the carrier operating with embarked J-15 fighters during this transit — a detail that could signal its operational readiness. The answers will shape understanding of China’s naval ambitions and the evolving strategic balance in the region.