Taiwan has reported that China dispatched a total of 68 warplanes and 10 military ships to the airspace and waters surrounding the island in a single day.
The Taiwanese Ministry of Defense released a statement, confirming that “68 aircraft belonging to the People’s Liberation Army and 10 ships of the People’s Liberation Army Navy were spotted near Taiwan” between Wednesday and Thursday morning.
On Wednesday, Taiwan had already reported the detection of 35 Chinese military aircraft circling the island, some of which were headed to the western Pacific Ocean to join China’s aircraft carrier Shandong in a joint maritime and aerial exercise.
The Ministry of Defense of Taiwan stated that China has intensified its violations of Taiwanese waters and airspace in recent days.
Beijing has been increasing military pressure on the island, which enjoys self-governance, through naval maneuvers and aerial sorties.
China strongly asserts that Taiwan is an integral part of its territory and vows to regain control by force if necessary.
In contrast, Washington and its Western allies have recently emphasized the importance of ensuring “freedom of navigation” in the region, conducting naval transits through the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea to assert that these waters are international and not under Chinese control.
