About 71 Chinese Air Force aircraft, including fighter jets and drones, entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone in the past 24 hours, the island’s government said Monday, the largest incursion in history.
Of the planes, 43 also crossed the center line of the Strait of Taiwan, an unofficial barrier between the two sides that lies within the defense zone, Taiwan’s defense ministry said in a statement, as Beijing continued military activities near the island.
Though selfgoverning, China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province with which it will eventually be reunited.
Taiwan, which strongly opposes China’s claims to sovereignty, said the drills show Beijing is destroying peace in the region and trying to intimidate the people of Taiwan.
A territory official familiar with security planning in the region told Portal Taiwan assessed China staged the military “provocation” to show opposition to a new US defense authorization law that increases military aid to Taiwan.
Tensions between the two sides have steadily increased in recent months.
In August, Beijing was furious over a visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the most senior US politician to visit Taiwan in 25 years.
In response to the visit, China held the country’s largest military drill in the seas around Taiwan and also blocked some trade with the island.
Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu condemned the Chinese actions at the time as highly provocative. China has never said it would not use force to take control of Taiwan.
China also said it held “attack drills” around Taiwan last Sunday (25) in response to a provocation by the island and the United States.
Washington has always walked a diplomatic tightrope on the Taiwan issue.
On the one hand, it adheres to the oneChina policy, one of the pillars of its relationship with Beijing, in which the US recognizes that there is only one Chinese government and has formal ties with Beijing and not Taiwan.
However, the country also has close ties with Taiwan, selling arms to Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act, which states that the US must provide the island with the means to defend itself.
China has ramped up diplomatic, military and economic pressure on the selfgoverning island in recent years to accept Beijing’s rule. Taiwan says it wants peace but will defend itself if attacked.
Understand the historical tension between China and Taiwan in seven points