FILE - A helicopter takes off from China's Shandong aircraft carrier over Pacific Ocean waters south of Okinawa prefecture, Japan, in this handout photo taken April 15, 2023, and released by the Joint Staff Office of the Defense Ministry of Japan
* The transit follows the trip to China by the US Secretary of State, who failed to persuade his hosts to resume high-level military dialogue
* Washington wants a channel of communications to reduce the risk of miscalculations in potential flashpoints such as the Taiwan Strait
The Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, just two days after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken concluded a fence-mending visit to China.
While both sides described his talks with senior officials - including President Xi Jinping - as constructive, Blinken failed to persuade his Chinese hosts to agree to resume high-level military dialogue between the two countries.
The US has been pushing for a channel of communication between senior commanders to help reduce the risk of miscalculations and misunderstandings amid rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
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Chinese Carrier Group Passed Through Taiwan Strait On Wednesday
Taiwan Reports Chinese Aircraft Carrier Sailed Through Strait -- VOA/Reuters
Chinese air carrier group sails through Taiwan Strait -- DW
Chinese aircraft carrier sails through Taiwan Strait -- UPI
Chinese Carrier Group Passes Through Taiwan Strait -- AFP
China's Shandong carrier detected southwest of Taiwan -- Taiwan News