China staged a show of military force near Taiwan with more than 20 fighter jets for the first time since the presidential election on the autonomous island.
As the Ministry of Defense in Taipei announced today, 24 fighter jets and five warships were spotted off Taiwan in 24 hours. Eleven of the fighters crossed the midline of the Taiwan Strait or entered the island's southwestern and northern air defense zones.
The Median Line is an unofficial demarcation line in the middle of the Taiwan Strait, the strait between mainland China and Taiwan.
China critic won presidential election
In Taiwan, candidate Lai Ching-te, who is critical of Beijing, won the presidential election on Saturday. Beijing later declared that the election results would not prevent China's reunification. China will not tolerate “separatist activities” on the autonomous island.
On Monday, the Pacific nation of Nauru unexpectedly severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan and declared it would turn diplomatically to China. This meant that Taiwan lost an ally.
Since the political split between mainland China and Taiwan in 1949, Beijing has viewed the now-democratic island as a breakaway territory it aims to reunite with the mainland – if necessary with military force. In recent years, the presence of Chinese warships and army aircraft around Taiwan has increased significantly.