China hikes military incursions in Taiwan

Taipei [Taiwan], June 15 : Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence said it detected six Chinese Naval vessels operating around its territorial waters as of 6 am (local time) on Sunday.

Contrary to the usual, no Chinese aircraft were detected in this timeframe.

In a post on X, the MND said, " 6 PLAN ships operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. Illustration of flight path is not provided due to no PLA aircraft operating around Taiwan were detected during this timeframe."

https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1934053276082905413

Earlier on Saturday, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence said it detected eight Chinese Naval vessels operating around its territorial waters.

In a post on X, the MND said, "8 PLAN ships operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. Illustration of flight path is not provided due to no PLA aircraft operating around Taiwan were detected during this timeframe."

https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1933690853039452358

Meanwhile, the US Navy is intensifying its global war game exercises to counter a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, aiming to make the self-ruled island "a very difficult target to take," US Acting Chief of Naval Operations Admiral James Kilby said during a congressional testimony on Wednesday.

According to a report by the Taipei Times, Admiral Kilby testified before the US House Armed Services Committee that the US Navy has been conducting regular simulations, primarily at the Naval War College, focused on deterring Beijing's military ambitions in the Indo-Pacific.

"Our focus is on long-range strike capabilities, countering China's command and surveillance systems, terminal ship defence, contested logistics, and unconventional maritime denial strategies," Kilby said.

He added that the Navy is also experimenting with new technologies in each area, with increased urgency following recent consultations with Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo and Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Stephen Koehler.

On whether deploying a USD 13 billion aircraft carrier or autonomous systems would be more effective for Taiwan's defence, Kilby mentioned that drones would be a preferred choice. "If I could put those drones on Taiwan, I'd put them on Taiwan," he said, indicating a shift toward unmanned assets in countering China's expanding military capabilities.

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