Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday it had detected 47 military planes and 12 Chinese warships near the island in 24 hours, a few days after the trip abroad of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te which irritated Beijing.
Chinese military planes and ships were detected during the 24 hours until 6 a.m. Tuesday (11 p.m. Monday French time), according to the ministry.
The Chinese incursions come as Taiwan prepares for potential Chinese military exercises following the Taiwanese leader’s tour of the Pacific, which sparked strong protests from Beijing. His trip, which took him to two American territories, Hawaii and Guam, where several strategic military bases are located, fueled speculation about a possible response from Beijing.
“Combat preparation maneuvers”
The Taiwanese armed forces were thus placed on alert “high” Monday after China imposed sweeping air restrictions off its east coast.
Taipei also announced on Monday that it had detected Chinese military and coast guard vessels sailing near the Taiwan Strait and in the Pacific Ocean. In response, the Taiwanese authorities announced that they would initiate “combat preparation maneuvers”.
In the process, Beijing said it wanted “firmly defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity” in the face of Taipei’s military maneuvers, describing Taiwan as a part “inalienable” of China.
China believes that Taiwan is one of its provinces, which it has not yet managed to bring back into its fold since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. It does not rule out the use of force to achieve it.
It has stepped up pressure on Taipei in recent years and held military exercises around the island in May, after the inauguration of Lai Ching-te, whom Beijing considers a “dangerous separatist”.
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