Taiwan says 45 Chinese military aircraft seen approaching island

TAIWAN, Aug 20: The Taiwanese Defense Ministry said on Sunday that 45 aircraft of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) and nine ships of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) were seen approaching the island over the past day.

In particular, 27 aircraft of the Chinese armed forces, including nine SU-30 fighters, 12 J-10 fighters, four J-11 fighters, one Y-9 transport aircraft, and one Z-9 helicopter, crossed the so-called median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered the island's air defence identification zone, the Ministry claimed on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The Ministry added that Taiwan sent air and sea patrols to monitor the situation and also deployed ground-based missile systems.

On Saturday, military drills by China were witnessed around Taiwan as a show of "stern warning" following a stopover in the US by the island's vice president, William Lai.

The frontrunner in Taiwan's upcoming presidential election and an opponent of China's territory claims returned to Taiwan on Friday from his trip that included stops in San Fransisco and New York.

China called Lai a "troublemaker" in response to the trip and vowed to take "resolute measures... to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity."

Lai in New York underlined that he was "very willing" to talk to China and seek peace and stability, while also stressing that he would "protect Taiwan's sovereignty", that the Taiwanese people could decide their future, and that the island and China's people "are not subordinate to each other."

Just last week, China's Foreign Ministry urged US officials to "abide by the One-China principle and... to stop official exchanges between the US and Taiwan."

Last week, the US said there is "no reason" to China's reaction regarding the stopover of Taiwan's vice president in the United States, claiming that this move does not negate America's commitment to the One China policy.

"There is no reason to over-torque this transit into anything escalatory," US State Department Spokesperson Vedant Patel said in a press briefing.

State media outlet Xinhua quoted military spokesperson Shi Yi as saying that the PLA "launched joint air and sea patrols and military exercises of the navy and air force around the island of Taiwan."

The outlet added that the exercises were a test of PLA's ability "to seize control of air and sea spaces" and fight "in real combat conditions" while serving "a stern warning to the collusion of 'Taiwan independence' separatists with foreign elements and their provocations."

Meanwhile, Taiwan claimed that 42 warplanes entered its air defence zone at 09:00 local time (0100 GMT), and eight Chinese vessels were in the exercises. Additionally, 26 of the warplanes crossed the so-called median line of the Taiwan Strait, as per the island's Defense Ministry.

Taiwan strongly criticized "such irrational and provocative behaviour" and said it would deploy "appropriate forces" to respond "with practical actions."

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence continued, "Conducting a military exercise this time under a pretext not only does not help the peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait but also highlights (China's) militaristic mentality and confirms the hegemonic nature of its military expansion". 

It is noteworthy that Beijing opposes any official foreign contact with Taipei and regards Chinese sovereignty over the island as indisputable.

The latest escalation around Taiwan took place in April after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Beijing responded by launching massive three-day military drills near the island in what it called a "warning" to Taiwanese separatists and foreign powers.