Taiwan’s defence ministry reported on Wednesday evening that 18 Chinese air force planes were patrolling over Taiwan and conducting joint combat readiness patrols with Chinese warships, marking the first large-scale post-election military activity.
China, which considers Taiwan to be its territory, has launched aircraft and warships into the skies and waters surrounding the island regularly over the last four years to impose sovereignty claims that the Taipei administration denies.
On Saturday, Taiwan voted for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Lai Ching-te as its next president, a man Beijing has frequently condemned as a dangerous separatist and warlord.
Taiwan’s defence ministry stated that starting at 7.50 p.m. (1150 GMT) on Wednesday, it detected 18 aircraft, including Su-30 fighters, operating off northern and central Taiwan as well as to the island’s southwest.
“Eleven of the aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait’s middle line or nearby locations to conduct joint combat readiness patrols with Chinese vessels”, the ministry noted.
The strait’s median line formerly acted as an informal barrier between the two sides, but Chinese jets now routinely fly over it. China denies that the line exists.
Taiwan has sent its forces to monitor, according to the ministry.
“The security and prosperity of the Taiwan Strait region are closely related to global development and stability, and are obligations and responsibilities that all parties in the region must share”, the press release reads.
“The military will continue to strengthen its self-defence capabilities by enemy threats and self-defence needs, and respond to regional threats”, the statement continued.
There was no quick response from China’s defence ministry.
Earlier on Wednesday, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office stated that Beijing’s position that it would not renounce using force to bring Taiwan under its control was motivated by foreign influence and a small number of separatists, but added that the Taiwanese needed to be disabused of biases towards China.
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