Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said on Friday it had detected another intrusion of Chinese military aircraft into the sensitive Taiwan Strait, and China reported that its navy had conducted combat drills using landing craft.
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Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said on Friday it had detected another intrusion of Chinese military aircraft into the sensitive Taiwan Strait, and China reported that its navy had conducted combat drills using landing craft.
Over the past four years, China’s military has significantly stepped up its activities in democratically governed Taiwan. Beijing considers the island of Taiwan its own territory, a stance the Taipei government strongly opposes.
In its daily morning briefing on China’s activities over the past 24 hours, the Defense Ministry said 14 Chinese military aircraft crossed the center line of the Taiwan Strait, as close as 41 nautical miles (76 kilometers) to Taiwan’s northern port city of Keelung.
The median line was once used as an unofficial border between the two countries, but Chinese military aircraft now regularly cross it. China says it does not recognize the existence of this line.
Taiwan said on Thursday that China had carried out “joint war preparations” patrol“This is the second time in a week that we have been close to the island.
China’s Defense Ministry did not return calls seeking comment on Friday, as the country was in the middle of the Labor Day holiday.
On Thursday, the People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command, which is responsible for areas surrounding Taiwan, showed pictures on its WeChat social media account of ships conducting what it called a live landing exercise.
It did not specify the exact time or location of the exercise, but showed images of ship-based artillery firing and formation operations.
The text accompanying the picture reads: “The vanguard of the landing force is always ready to fight.”
Taiwan remains wary of actions taken by China, Taiwan’s top security official said on Wednesday army The exercise will be held after President-elect Lai Chengde takes office later this month.
Taiwan’s National Security Bureau chief Tsai Ming-yan said China has begun using unusual new tactics, including conducting night combat patrols and using landing ships and minesweepers during patrols.
Lai, who took office on May 20 after winning an election in January, is strongly disliked by China, which considers him a dangerous separatist.The Chinese government has rejected his repeated proposals talksincluding one made last week.
Lai, like current President Tsai Ing-wen, rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims; both say only the island’s people can determine their future.
Lai has served as Taiwan’s vice president for the past four years.
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