Taiwan Reports Record Number of Chinese Military Aircraft Near Island

Written by Camilla Jessen

Mar.22 - 2024 11:13 AM CET

News
Photo: Dave Colman / Shutterstock.com
Photo: Dave Colman / Shutterstock.com
Taiwan has reported a record number of Chinese aircraft around the island.

Trending Now

Taiwan's Defense Ministry has detected an unprecedented level of Chinese military aircraft and naval vessels around the island.

This development was reported by France24 and Ukrinform.

"In the 24 hours to 6 a.m. Friday, the Ministry of National Defense reported that it detected 36 Chinese military aircraft and six naval vessels operating around Taiwan," the statement said.

The ministry added that among the planes detected, 13 were "crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait," the sensitive waterway that separates China from Taiwan.

Analysts interpret this increased military presence as a signal of China's dissatisfaction with Taiwan's expanding international engagements. Wen-ti Sun, a political analyst, views the surge as "a show of force to express its displeasure with Taiwan's growing international activity."

Similarly, military expert Su Tzu-yun connects the rise in Chinese military maneuvers to recent international diplomatic activities, specifically citing a meeting in Manila between US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos as a potential catalyst.

As Ukrinform reported, Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said that China has built large military bases on three islands around Taiwan in the South China Sea.