It was reported that 49 Chinese military aircraft and 26 Chinese ships were detected around the island during China’s military exercise surrounding Taiwan Island and its connected islands.
In a statement made on the Taiwan Defense Ministry’s account on the X social media platform, it was noted that 49 military aircraft flew around the island in the last 24 hours, 35 of which went beyond the nominal “middle line” in the Taiwan Strait and flew in the area declared by Taiwan as the “Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ)”.
On the map published by the Ministry, it was seen that the aircraft came as close as 40 nautical miles (74.08 kilometers) to Keelung province at the northern end of Taiwan and 57 nautical miles (105.5 kilometers) to Pingtung province at the southern end.
On the other hand, 26 ships, 19 of which belong to the Chinese navy and 7 to the Chinese coast guard, were also detected around the island.
The “middle line” in the Taiwan Strait refers to the air and sea line that is assumed to limit the spheres of influence of the parties.
China conducts military exercises blockading the island
The flights and ship patrols are part of a military exercise that China launched yesterday around the island.
Beijing announced the start of military exercises around the island 3 days after Taiwan’s new leader Lai Ching-te took office.
The Eastern Front Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army reported that the 2-day exercise, called “Joint Sword-2024A”, will be conducted around the Taiwan Strait, the northern, southern and eastern regions of Taiwan Island and the islands of Kinmen, Matsu, Vuçiü and Dongyin near the mainland.
It was emphasized that the exercise, in which troops from the land, air, naval and rocket forces of the Chinese army participated, was aimed at “punishing actions against independence” and “warning against the intervention of foreign powers”.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense, on the other hand, condemned the exercise in a statement, stating that it “reveals China’s aggressive military mentality” and “will harm regional peace and stability”.
It came after Lai’s swearing-in ceremony
The drills, which formed a blockade around Taiwan, followed the May 20 swearing-in ceremony of Lai Ching-te, the newly elected leader of the island’s government.
Lai Ching-te, the candidate of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which won Taiwan’s presidential election on January 13, was sworn in earlier this week.
Beijing regards Taiwan’s ruling DPP as “pro-independence” and its leader Lai as an “incorrigible separatist”.
Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory, has enjoyed de facto independence since 1949. The separation and sovereignty dispute between mainland China and Taiwan, which emerged after the civil war, continues.
Beijing, which has increased military pressure on Taiwan in recent years, emphasizes that it will not exclude the use of force if necessary to reunify the island with the mainland.
