Taiwan watching Chinese carrier movements as sources say war games may start this weekend

TAIPEI - Taiwan's defence ministry said on Tuesday it is watching the movements of a Chinese aircraft carrier and assessing China's military activities as security sources said Beijing could launch new war games as soon as this weekend.

China, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has held two rounds of war games around the island so far this year, and its forces operate nearby on a daily basis.

China has a strong dislike of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, whom it calls a "separatist", and sources have told Reuters it could launch new drills to coincide with his trip to the Pacific this week which includes visits to Hawaii and Guam.

Speaking at a regular news briefing, Taiwan Defence Ministry spokesperson Sun Li-fang said Taiwan knew where Chinese aircraft carrier the Liaoning was, but could not give details. The Liaoning was involved in the last Chinese war games in October.

"The Ministry of National Defence takes a serious view of the enemy situation and handles this matter very seriously. We have very solid preparations and are not afraid of any threats," he said.

Asked whether Chinese war games could start this weekend given Lai returns to Taiwan late on Friday, Sun declined direct comment.

"We have a very thorough judgment of the enemy situation, and there are a lot of indicators here that we use to make appropriate judgments to deal with the situation."

China's defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. China's government has expressed anger at the U.S. for allowing Lai to visit.

Lai rejects China's sovereignty claims but says he wants peace with Beijing and has repeatedly offered talks, but been rebuffed.

Three Taipei-based security sources, speaking on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter, said that based on latest intelligence assessments, chances of war games starting this weekend were high.

One source described a "busier" than usual scene in the waters around Taiwan which might be China positioning itself for the possible drills.

A north bound Russian naval fleet, which included three frigates and one supply vessel, on Monday approached close to Taiwan's contiguous zone 24 nautical miles (45 km) off its southeastern coasts and conducted joint simulated attacks on "foreign vessels and aircraft" with a Chinese destroyer nearby, the source said.

The Russian fleet entered the East China Sea early on Tuesday, and the source said it was expected to continue joint military manoeuvres with its Chinese counterparts as it heads north.

Meanwhile, China has deployed close to 40 vessels in the region, including a Chinese aircraft carrier group led by Liaoning in the East China Sea as well as other naval and coast guard boats in the South China Sea.

"The assessments show that China might be making deployment for the drills after the visit," the source said, referring to Lai's Pacific trip.

A second source told Reuters that what would be unusual winter drills for China's military would be the kind of practice they would need to be able to attack Taiwan should the need come at any time of the year.

"China has been honing their ability to operate at night, and being able to fight in bad weather is another skill they need to get right," the source added.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Yimou Lee; Additional reporting by Roger Tung; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)