China Sent Record Number of Warplanes To Taiwan Straight
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
BEIJING/TAIPEI (Worthy News) – Taiwan said Thursday that China sent a record number of warplanes across a U.S.-drawn boundary in the Taiwan Strait as military tensions mount in the strategic region.
The democratically ruled archipelago’s Ministry of National Defense in Taipei said, “66 [People’s Liberation Army] PLA aircraft and 7 [People’s Liberation Army Navy] PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected” on Thursday.
Some “56 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, southwestern and southeastern [air defense identification zone] ADIZ,” the ministry added in comments monitored by Worthy News.
The ADIZ is a region of airspace in which Taiwan says it tries to identify, locate, and control aircraft in the interest of national security.
Worthy News learned that Thursday’s Chinese move came as the new president of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te, is considering a trip that may include a stop in America.
The Taiwanese military added, without providing details, that Taiwanese aircraft, naval vessels, and missile systems were used “in response” to the PLA flights.
SIMILAR STOP
Last year, Beijing reacted to a similar stop in the U.S. by Lai’s predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen, by holding extensive military exercises.
Tsai met then-U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a move that angered Beijing.
China opposes nations it has ties with from having official contact with Taiwan.
Additionally, China’s increasingly assertive military posturing comes as Beijing has made clear it views Taiwan as part of its territory.
President Lai has said he wants peace with China and urged it to stop what he sees as military threats and intimidation toward the archipelago.
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