China dispatches nearly 60 military aircraft to Taiwan.
Immediately following the inauguration of Taiwan's new leader, mainland China conducted a massive military drill in the area surrounding the island. Over sixty fighter jets flew towards Taiwan, surpassing the previous record for a single day this year. According to the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense, 47 of these aircraft breached Taiwan's air defense zone. The largest number of Chinese planes Taiwan's airspace had seen in a day, prior to this, was 45 on May 15. Beijing regularly sends military aircraft to Taiwan.
Taiwan's air defense zone is a safeguarded area in front of the country's territorial waters, wherein foreign aircraft are monitored before they enter the actual airspace. It's worth mentioning that the validity of such airspace zones is not recognized in international law.
On Thursday, China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) initiated a two-day military exercise around Taiwan, which some suggest included a simulated blockade of the island. Interestingly, this exercise followed a three-day gap since the inauguration of Taiwan's recently elected President Lai Ching-te. His Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) emerged victorious in the presidential elections in January, and advocates a stance that's critical of mainland China. The Chinese Communist Party views DPP as a separatist entity.
Although China officially considers Taiwan to be a rogue province, independent government has been located in the island for decades. The Chinese authorities have previously threatened to force Taiwan's unification with the mainland using military force. In addition to the daily military drills led by the armed forces, Chinese fighter planes regularly fly towards Taiwan to display the strength of their PLA.
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In response to Taiwan's new leader's inauguration, Beijing intensified its military presence, sending over 60 aircraft towards Taiwan. Despite frequent incursions, this was the largest number of Chinese planes to enter Taiwan's airspace in a single day.
Source: www.ntv.de
