Taipei: Taipei, on Wednesday, registered a significant uptick in Chinese military aircraft presence near Taiwan, marking the highest count for a single day this year. This surge in activity comes on the heels of heightened tensions just days before the inauguration of Taiwan’s new president, whom China perceives as a “dangerous separatist”.
Maintaining its stance on sovereignty, China asserts control over democratic Taiwan and has reiterated its refusal to rule out the use of force to reunify it with the mainland. Ahead of the inauguration of Taiwan’s incoming president, Lai Ching-te, the Chinese government has issued warnings of potential “war and decline” for the island, escalating tensions since Lai’s victory in the January election.
According to Taipei’s defense ministry, 45 Chinese aircraft and six naval vessels were identified operating near Taiwan in the 24-hour period preceding 6:00 am (2200 GMT) on Wednesday. “26 of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait,” the ministry disclosed in a statement, referring to the line bisecting the 180-kilometre (110-mile) waterway that separates Taiwan from China.
The ministry also reported monitoring the situation closely and responding accordingly.
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Within a two-hour timeframe, 23 Chinese aircraft, including fighter jets and drones, were observed around Taiwan, the ministry further revealed.
In recent years, Beijing has intensified military pressure on Taiwan through the consistent presence of warplanes, drones, and naval vessels around the island.
The highest recorded number of warplanes and aircraft around Taiwan was in September last year when Beijing deployed 103 of them, with 40 crossing the median line.
Experts describe these tactics as “grey zone tactics”, which fall short of outright acts of war but aim to strain Taipei’s military resources.
Since February, China has expanded its maneuvers by dispatching coast guard ships and official fishery vessels around Taiwan’s outlying island of Kinmen, alongside a display of military force.
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On Tuesday, five Chinese coast guard ships sailed through Kinmen’s “restricted waters” for three hours before departing, according to Taiwan’s coast guard.
This marked the fifth such formation seen in May alone, with the Taiwanese coast guard condemning these actions as a serious threat to navigation safety and peace across the Taiwan Strait.
“We urge the Chinese side to exercise self-restraint and immediately cease this irrational behavior,” the Taiwanese coast guard demanded.
Similar to the current President Tsai Ing-wen, President-elect Lai opposes Beijing’s claims of control over Taiwan, drawing condemnation from China, which labels him and his deputy, Hsiao Bi-khim, Taiwan’s former representative to the United States, as an “independence duo”.
