According to Taiwan’s Defense Ministry, nearly a dozen Chinese military planes and three naval vessels were spotted near Taiwan on Monday amid rising tensions.
In a tweet on Monday, Taiwanese officials said that as of 6 a.m., 11 aircraft belonging to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and three ships belonging to the People’s Liberation Army (PLAN) were spotted
In this photo released by the Xinhua News Agency, an air force pilot from the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) looks on as they conduct a joint combat exercise around the island of Taiwan on Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022. () Wang Xinchao/Xinhua via AP)
She added that seven of the planes spotted crossed the center line of the Taiwan Strait, which is an unofficial buffer zone separating Taiwan from China.
TAIWAN’S DEFENSE MINISTRY SAYS DOZENS OF CHINESE MILITARY PLANES HAVE ENTERED INTO THE AIRSPACE NEAR THE ISLAND
This is the second straight day — and the third day in a week — that China has crossed the Taiwan Strait median line.
On Jan. 8, dozens of Chinese planes and four ships were spotted near Taiwan, with at least 28 planes crossing the center line.
After Sunday’s incident, the People’s Liberation Army East Theater Command said in a statement that they conducted “joint combat readiness patrols and actual combat drills” to “firmly counter the provocative actions of external forces and Taiwan separatist forces.”
No statement had been made from China about the incident on Monday.
Taiwan’s defense ministry tweeted that 11 Chinese planes and three naval vessels were spotted in the Taiwan Straits, with seven planes crossing an unofficial buffer zone between the two countries. (Taiwan Ministry of Defense Twitter)
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said its armed forces were monitoring the situation and tasked aircraft, naval vessels and land-based missile systems to respond to the activities.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urges China to be more transparent regarding the current COVID-19 surge and the origins of the virus
Tensions rose in August after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. In recent months, China has increased the number of combat exercises around the island in recent months.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping told President Biden at November’s G20 summit in Bali that the Taiwan issue is the “innermost core of China’s core interests” and the “first red line” in bilateral relations.
President Biden said after that meeting that he did not believe there was an imminent attempt by China to invade Taiwan.
Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.