Taiwan detects ‘massive’ Chinese military presence in region

Taipei: Amid growing security concern and aggressive posturing of China, Taiwan stated on Tuesday that it has detected a number of Chinese aircraft and warships operating around the country over the past 24 hours that crossed the meridian line of the Taiwan Strait and entered air defence identification zone.

According to the Defence Ministry of Taiwan, 59 sorties of Chinese military aircraft and nine Chinese naval ships operating around Taiwan were detected on Tuesday morning. It said that 43 out of 59 sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s northern, central southwestern and eastern Air Defence Identification Zone.

The ministry stated that the Taiwan Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed Combat Air Patrol aircraft, navy ships, and coastal missile systems in response to detected activities of Chinese forces.

Meanwhile, Taiwan’s first-ever ‘immediate combat response’ drills entered the second day on Tuesday, with the Army simulating anti-landing combat to keep Chinese forces from reaching Taipei, the country’s capital and main economic and political hub, local media reported.

On the other hand, the Chinese Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council issued a stern warning to Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te on Monday, stating that Taiwan’s provocative actions against the Chinese mainland could lead to self-destruction. This statement followed after the Chinese army conducted military exercises near the Taiwan Strait on Monday, Chinese media reported.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated that the related military activities taken by China around the Taiwan Strait are necessary, lawful, and justified measures to safeguard national sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity.

Regarding the US policy on Taiwan, Mao said that the US has recently taken a series of “erroneous actions”, particularly by changing the content on the US State Department’s website related to its relations with Taiwan island and removing the previous statement that the US “does not support Taiwan independence”. This represents a serious regression in the US position on Taiwan-related issues, the spokesperson stated.

Earlier this week, Taiwan’s President William Lai had labelled China a “foreign hostile force” and ramped up national security measures in the face of growing threats and a string of spying cases.

China claims Taiwan to be a part of its territory that must be reunified with the mainland by force if necessary. In recent years, Beijing has increased military exercises in the Taiwan Strait to intensify pressure on Taiwan. Beijing opposes any kind of patrolling in the Taiwan Strait and perceives it as a security threat.

Meanwhile, the US and its allies consider the Taiwan Strait as an international waterway and routinely send warships through the strait, asserting their influence in the Indo-Pacific region and countering the growing influence of China.

IANS