Taipei, Dec 31 (IANS) Taiwan's Defence Ministry said on Wednesday that 207 Chinese military planes flew around the self-ruled island during the 48 hours until Wednesday as Beijing continued to conduct exercises, a move considered a warning against separatism.
Of the total planes that flew until 6 a.m., 125 had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's air defence identification zone, according to the ministry, Japan-based Kyodo News reported. Earlier, China and Taiwan respected the median line; however, Beijing has ignored it in recent years.
The Chinese military fired 27 rockets in two waves from Fujian province into waters north and southwest of Taiwan between 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday.
China considers Taiwan a breakaway region, which needs to be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary and said that the military exercise, which started on Monday, is aimed at countering separatism and external interference.
In a statement on Wednesday, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te praised the military for "responding swiftly" to the exercise launched by China and slammed Beijing for its military activity also near Japan and in the South China Sea.
Lai stated that the exercise targeting Taiwan was not only isolated incidents but a warning that the mainland's "authoritarian expansion and escalating coercion" has caused uncertainty in regional stability and impacted global shipping, trade and peace.
On Monday, Taiwan’s Ministry of Defence condemned China's deployment of air, navy and rocket troops to conduct joint military drills around the island.
The Ministry said that it has placed its forces on high alert and opposed the actions of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), warning that the drills undermine regional peace.
The development comes days after the United States approved a huge arms package worth more than $10 billion for Taiwan. Beijing retaliated by asking the US to "immediately cease its dangerous act of arming Taiwan", where China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that the move "severely undermines China's sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity".
“We strongly condemn the PRC’s irrational provocations and oppose the PLA’s actions that undermine regional peace. Rapid Response Exercises are underway, with forces on high alert to defend the Republic of China and protect our people,” Taiwan’s Defence Ministry posted on X.
According to the Ministry of Defence, on Monday morning, two PLA aircraft sorties, nine PLA ships, and two government vessels were detected, continuing their activities around the Taiwan Strait. It added that the Taiwanese armed forces are closely monitoring and responding using mission aircraft, ships, and shore-based missile systems.
--IANS
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