Taipei reported detecting 45 Chinese military aircraft near Taiwan, the highest count for a single day this year. With the inauguration of Taiwan’s new president approaching, tensions are high as China views the incoming leader as a “dangerous separatist.”
China claims sovereignty over Taiwan and has not ruled out the use of force to reunify the island with the mainland. The Chinese government has issued warnings of “war and decline” for Taiwan following the election victory of President Lai Ching-te in January.
The defense ministry of Taipei identified 45 Chinese aircraft and six naval vessels near Taiwan, with 26 aircraft crossing the Taiwan Strait’s median line. As military activities increase in the region, concerns grow about potential conflict between the two sides.
As tensions mount between China and Taiwan, the international community watches closely to see how the situation will unfold in the coming days.
MNA