The ship, which has yet to be named, is Beijing's second carrier and will add massive firepower to its navy once it is officially put into service, as the country faces tensions with self-ruled Taiwan and regional neighbours around the disputed South China Sea.
The carrier crossed the sensitive waters on Sunday before entering the South China Sea for "scientific research tests and routine training", navy spokesman Cheng Dewei said on an official social media account.
Cheng said it was "normal practice" for carriers that are under testing to conduct cross-regional trials.
"It is not aimed at any specific target and has nothing to do with the current situation," Cheng said without elaborating.
The sail-by comes as Taiwan gears up for presidential elections in January.
Taipei's foreign minister Joseph Wu tweeted on Sunday that China "intends to intervene in #Taiwan's elections", adding: "Voters won't be intimidated!"
Taiwan’s defense ministry had on Sunday confirmed that a carrier group led by China’s first domestically-built aircraft carrier sailed through the sensitive Taiwan Strait.
The carrier group was trailed by U.S. and Japanese vessels, and Taiwan’s defense ministry said aircraft and ships were scrambled to monitor the group’s movements.
China, which sees democratic Taiwan as part of its territory, has stepped up military drills around the island since Beijing-sceptic President Tsai Ing-wen, who is seeking re-election, came to power in 2016.
Tsai -- who has voiced support for Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement -- has described the elections as a fight for Taiwan's freedom and democracy.
Her challenger favours much warmer relations with China.
On the same day as the sail-by, Tsai announced that former premier William Lai, who has styled himself as a "Taiwan independence worker", would be her running mate in a move likely to irritate Beijing.
Eric Hundman, assistant professor of political science at NYU Shanghai, said that the sail-by was a "continuation of Beijing's consistent efforts to pressure Taipei".
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