Taiwan Spots Chinese Amphibious Ship Near Northern Coast

2025-07-02 05:49:22

(MENAFN) Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense confirmed on Tuesday that a Chinese amphibious ship had been spotted off the island's northern coast, marking the first such detection in this region. The sighting follows earlier reports from local media.

According to a local news agency, a Chinese Type 072A landing ship, known for its large amphibious warfare capabilities, was photographed by a passenger on a commercial flight as the aircraft approached Taipei Songshan Airport on Friday. The ship was seen just before the plane’s descent.

The Type 072A is a significant vessel with a displacement of 3,770 metric tons. It is designed to carry two medium-sized helicopters and four landing craft. In addition, the ship can transport 10 tanks and up to 250 fully armed soldiers, as noted by Air Force Institute of Technology officer Lin Yu-feng, speaking to the news agency.

While such amphibious vessels have been previously spotted off Taiwan's eastern coast, this is the first time one has been seen off the northern coast.

In a separate statement, the ministry also reported the detection of seven sorties by Chinese People's Liberation Army aircraft and nine ships near the island as of 6 a.m. local time (2200 GMT Monday). The ministry added that one aircraft had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait.

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