Overview

• Japan’s Defense Ministry on Sept. 11 made its first public confirmation of Fujian’s navigation about 200 kilometers northwest of the Senkaku area, sailing with two destroyers.
• The Japan Maritime Self‑Defense Force used a P‑3C patrol aircraft for surveillance and reported no entry into Japanese territorial or contiguous waters and no carrier flight operations.
• On Sept. 12, a Chinese navy spokesperson said Fujian transited the Taiwan Strait bound for the South China Sea for a trial voyage and training, stating the move was not aimed at any specific actor.
• Taiwan’s defense ministry said it tracked the passage and managed the situation using its surveillance and reconnaissance assets.
• Fujian is China’s third carrier after Liaoning and Shandong, reported at roughly 320 meters and over 80,000 tons with electromagnetic catapults, and analysts expect commissioning could enable three‑carrier rotations that increase presence.