Record number of Chinese aircraft detected around Taiwan
Record number of Chinese aircraft detected around Taiwan
Taipei’s defence ministry announced Friday the highest single-day number of Chinese military aircraft around the self-ruled island this year, which analysts attributed as a reaction to Taiwan’s political…
Beijing claims democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring it under China’s control.
Friday’s incursion, an uptick from the previous day’s tally, follows a pattern of what experts dub “grey zone” actions—tactics that fall short of outright acts of war—which have ramped up since the 2016 election of President Tsai Ing-wen.
Political tensions have also risen since January after Tsai’s deputy Lai Ching-te—who Beijing regards as a “dangerous separatist”—was elected as president, and amid an ongoing row between China and Taiwan over a fatal boat incident.
In the 24 hours leading up to 6:00 am Friday (2200 GMT Thursday), the Ministry of National Defence said it had detected 36 Chinese military aircraft and six naval ships operating around Taiwan.