Taiwan announced China's first major military activity since the elections on the island.
Taiwan's Ministry of Defense reported that on January 17 it discovered 18 Chinese Air Force aircraft operating around the island and carrying out “joint alert patrols” with Chinese warships.
Reuters writes about this.
The Ministry of Defense reported that at about 19:50 on Wednesday, 18 aircraft were detected, including Su-30 fighters, operating near the northern and central Taiwan and the southwest of the island.
It added that 11 of these aircraft crossed the center line of the Taiwan Strait or areas nearby while operating with Chinese warships to conduct “general combat readiness patrols”.
The middle line of the strait once served as an unofficial barrier between the two sides, but Chinese planes now regularly fly over it. Beijing does not recognize the existence of the line.
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In response to Chinese military activity, Taiwan sent surveillance forces.
“The military will continue to strengthen its self-defense capabilities in accordance with enemy threats and self-defense needs, as well as respond to regional threats,” Taiwan's Ministry of Defense said.
There was no immediate response from the Chinese Ministry of Defense.
Recall that on January 14 it became known that Lai Chinte, the current vice president, won the presidential elections in Taiwan. China called the race “a choice between war and peace.”
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