TAIPEI: Taiwan’s defence ministry said on Monday it had detected 103
Chinese warplanes
around the island in one day, describing the number as a “recent high”.
“Between the morning of September 17th to 18th, the ministry of national defence had detected a total of 103 Chinese aircraft which was a recent high and has posed severe challenges to the security across the
Taiwan Strait
and in the region,” it said in a statement.
Beijing’s “continued military harassment can easily lead to a sharp spike in tension and worsen regional security,” the ministry said, as it called on China to “immediately stop such destructive unilateral actions.”
Of the total number of warplanes detected, 40 crossed the so-called median line of the Taiwan Strait that separates the self-ruled island from China, and entered its southwest and southeast air defence identification zone (ADIZ), the statement said.
Nine
Chinese naval vessels
were also detected, it added.
Beijing claims self-ruled Taiwan as its own territory to be seized one day, by force if necessary, and has intensified diplomatic and military pressure in recent years as relations have soured.
