Taiwan’s defence ministry detected 22 Chinese warplanes and drones near the island on Saturday within fewer than three hours.
The military activity occurred as Taiwan’s president-elect, Lai Ching-te, ‘s May 20 inauguration approached. China views Lai as a separatist threat.
The statement, issued at 12:10 pm, noted that these activities started at 9:30 am (0130 GMT). “12 aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s air defence identification zone in the north and centre,” the ministry reported. Additionally, these aircraft coordinated with Chinese naval vessels in a “joint combat patrol.”
The median line runs through the Taiwan Strait, a 180-kilometer (110-mile) channel that separates Taiwan from mainland China.
In rejecting this demarcation, Beijing asserts sovereignty over Taiwan and maintains the option of forceful reunification.
Under President Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan has seen heightened tensions with Beijing, particularly as her administration firmly opposes China’s territorial claims.
Vice President Lai’s election victory in January came despite Beijing’s dire warnings of potential war and decline for Taiwan.
This military display coincides with US-Philippines joint exercises, which simulate retaking islands near Taiwan and the South China Sea.
Beijing, claiming nearly all the South China Sea, dismisses international rulings against its territorial assertions. Recent encounters between Chinese and Philippine vessels have intensified regional tensions.
China’s foreign ministry has criticized the United States for “stoking military confrontation.”
