(Taipei) Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday it had detected 23 Chinese planes around the island in less than three hours, after multiple intrusions since the inauguration in Taipei of new President Lai Ching-te.
China considers the autonomously governed island of Taiwan to be part of its territory and says it is ready to reconquer it by force if necessary.
“Since 8:20 a.m. (8:20 p.m. Eastern Time), we have successively detected a total of 23 aircraft, of which 16 crossed the center line,” the Defense Ministry said, referring to the line dividing the Taiwan Strait which separates the island from the mainland.
The ministry’s press release, published at 10:40 a.m. (10:40 p.m. Eastern time), specifies that fighter planes, transport planes and drones in particular were detected.
The Taiwanese military “uses joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance methods to closely observe the situation,” he continues.
The deployment comes after China sent 19 aircraft, eight warships and four coast guard vessels around Taiwan during a 24-hour period ending at 6 a.m. Tuesday, according to Taiwanese authorities.
Tensions across the Strait have increased since the inauguration on May 20 of new Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te.
At the end of May, Beijing carried out two days of major military maneuvers around Taiwan, mobilizing military ships and planes loaded with live ammunition, claiming that it was “severe punishment” against “separatists” .
China said last week it would maintain military pressure on Taiwan as long as the self-ruled island’s “provocations for independence” continue.