Taipei/A total of 62 Chinese warplanes and 27 ships were spotted in the vicinity of Taiwan during the past 24 hours, as part of the second day of Chinese military maneuvers around the island, official sources said on Saturday.
In its latest report, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense noted that 47 of these aircraft, including SU-30 fighters and H-6 bombers, crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered the southwestern, southeastern and eastern Taiwan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). ).
These 47 incursions are the most numerous since April 11 of last year, when China launched a series of maneuvers around Taiwan after the meeting between the then Taiwanese President, Tsai Ing-wen, and the then Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Kevin. McCarthy in California.
These 47 incursions are the largest number recorded since April 11 of last year.
Likewise, an unspecified number of these aircraft passed only 39 nautical miles (72.2 km) from the northern city of Keelung and 41 nautical miles (76 km) from Cape Ilwanpi, in the southern province of Pingtung. “The Armed Forces of the Republic of China (Taiwan’s official name) monitored the situation and used combat aircraft, naval ships and coastal missile systems in response to the detected activities,” MDN said in a statement.
In all, MDN recovered 111 warplanes — 82 of which crossed the middle line of the strait and entered Taiwan’s self-declared air defense zone — and 53 Chinese navy and coast guard vessels during the two-day maneuvers, dubbed “Combined Sword.” 2024A (“The Joined Sword” in English).
China launched this operation on Thursday morning as “severe punishment” for “separatist acts related to the independence” of the island.
The Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army launched the operation on Thursday morning as “severe punishment” for “separatist actions related to the independence” of the island and as a warning signal “against interference and provocation” by external parties. Troops.
China’s military action occurred the same week that William Lai (Lai Ching-ti) assumed the presidency of Taiwan, which Beijing considers “separatist” and “troublemaker.” The island’s new leader held a video conference on Friday with his Defense Minister Wellington Kuo and Chief of General Staff Mi Chia-shu to discuss the Chinese military’s activities across the island.
Lai said in a statement posted on his official Facebook account, “The National Army and I are fully aware of the movements of the communist forces and we have immediate and appropriate responses to ensure the security and protection of the country and the people.” Who also asked residents to “unite.”
“The army is on the front line to protect national security day and night. I would like to ask the (Taiwanese) people to fully support the national army; our unity, cooperation and connection with the outside world are the greatest support for the army.” he added. China is resorting to this type of maneuver for the fourth time since 2022, when it carried out the first of these maneuvers in response to the visit of the then Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, to Taiwan, which angered Beijing and Taiwan and raised tension in the Strait to levels unprecedented in decades.
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