Taiwan’s military has raised its alert level to “high” in response to a significant Chinese military presence around the island, prompting combat readiness drills and the establishment of an emergency center, Al Jazeera reports.
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) cited the deployment of nearly 90 Chinese navy and coastguard vessels, including around 60 navy ships, in waters near Taiwan, the southern Japanese islands, and the East and South China Seas. This follows reports of a potential large-scale Chinese military exercise.
The MND statement, released Monday, detailed the deployment of dozens of warships and coastguard vessels, along with the observed activity of at least 14 Chinese warships, seven military aircraft, and at least four balloons since the weekend. Six of the Chinese aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, an unofficial demarcation line separating Taiwan and mainland China. One balloon was reported to have brushed the island’s northern tip.
A Taipei security source confirmed the scale of the Chinese naval deployment to Reuters, highlighting the heightened tension. China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Mao Ning, responded by stating that China will “firmly defend” its sovereignty and “territorial integrity,” reiterating its claim that Taiwan is an “inalienable” part of China.
This escalation follows Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te’s recent visit to Pacific allies, which included stops in Hawaii and Guam. China views such visits as provocative, further fueling existing tensions. Beijing has long claimed Taiwan as its own territory and has vowed to annex it, by force if necessary, regularly sending ships and planes near the island.
Taiwan, a self-governed democracy of 23 million, relies heavily on US arms sales for its defense against the perceived threat of a Chinese invasion. President Lai recently urged China to refrain from making threats. The US, while not recognizing Taiwan as an independent country, remains its main unofficial supporter and arms supplier.
