About 71 aircraft of the Chinese Air Force, including fighter jets and unmanned aerial vehicles, entered Taiwan Air Defense Identification Zone On Monday (26 hours) the island’s government said it was the largest incursion in history.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense said in a statement that 43 aircraft crossed the center line of the Taiwan Strait, an unofficial barrier between the two sides located within the defense zone, while Beijing continues its military activities near the island.
Despite being self-governing, China considers Taiwan a breakaway province with which it will eventually reunite.
Taiwan, which staunchly rejects China’s claims of sovereignty, said the exercises showed Beijing was destroying regional peace and trying to intimidate the people of Taiwan.
said a regional official familiar with security planning in the region Reuters That Taiwan assessed that China made a military “provocation” to show its opposition to a new US defense authorization law that would increase military assistance to Taiwan.
Tensions between the two sides have risen steadily in recent months.
In August, Beijing was furious over a visit to Taiwan by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the most senior US politician to visit the territory in 25 years.
In response to the visit, China conducted its largest military exercise in the seas around Taiwan and also blocked some trade with the island.
Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu condemned China’s action at the time as highly provocative. China has never said it will not use force to bring Taiwan under its control.
China also said that it carried out “offensive maneuvers” around Taiwan last Sunday (25) in response to what it described as provocation by the island and the United States.
Washington has been walking a diplomatic tightrope on the Taiwan issue.
On the one hand, the United States adheres to the One China policy, which is one of the pillars of its relationship with Beijing, in which the United States recognizes the existence of only one Chinese government and has official relations with Beijing, not Taiwan.
However, the country also maintains close relations with Taiwan and sells arms to it under the Taiwan Relations Act, which states that the United States must provide the island with the means to defend itself.
China has stepped up diplomatic, military and economic pressure in recent years on the self-ruled island to accept rule from Beijing. Taiwan says it wants peace but will defend itself if attacked.
Understand the historical tension between China and Taiwan in seven points
