Taiwan’s defense ministry reported a surge in Chinese military activity around its territory, with a record 153 aircraft detected within a 25-hour period ending Tuesday morning, Al Jazeera reports.
The unprecedented scale of the war games, designated “Joint Sword-2024B”, has once again heightened tensions between China and Taiwan.
The ministry confirmed that 90 of the Chinese aircraft, including fighter jets, drones, and warships, were spotted within Taiwan’s air defense identification zone. Taiwan responded by deploying “appropriate forces” and placing its outlying islands on high alert.
China’s military drills were a direct response to Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te’s National Day speech last week, which Beijing deemed a threat to its claim over the self-ruled island. China asserts that Taiwan is part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to bring it under its control.
In response to the drills, Taiwan’s Office of the President urged China to “cease military provocations that undermine regional peace and stability and stop threatening Taiwan’s democracy and freedom.”
The United States, a key ally of Taiwan, expressed concern over China’s aggressive actions, describing them as “irresponsible, disproportionate, and destabilising.” In its turn, the US launched its own military exercises in the disputed South China Sea.
Meanwhile, thousands of US and Philippine marines commenced joint exercises in the Philippines, a country also involved in territorial disputes with China. These drills, focused on defending the northern Luzon island, are located around 800 kilometers from Taiwan.
