Taipei [Taiwan], June 20 : Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) stated that it detected 50 Chinese military aircraft and six naval vessels operating in the region until 6 am (local time) on Friday.
According to Taiwan's MND, 46 out of 50 sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's northern, southwestern and eastern Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ). In response to Chinese action, Taiwan sent aircraft, naval ships and deployed coastal-based missile systems to monitor People's Liberation Army (PLA) activity.
In a statement shared on X, Taiwan's MND stated, "50 sorties of PLA aircraft and 6 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 46 out of 50 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, southwestern and eastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly."
https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1935865206892380258
This incident follows a recent pattern of escalated manoeuvres by China around Taiwan. Taiwan has been governed independently since 1949. However, China considers Taiwan part of its territory and insists on eventual reunification, by force if necessary.
Earlier this week, Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te expressed his appreciation to the leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) for their backing of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and their worries regarding China's destabilising actions in the area, according to a report by Central News Agency (CNA).
The G7 summit concluded in Canada's Alberta on Tuesday with a summary from the chair that included discussions on their concerns about China's destabilising behaviour in the East and South China Seas, as well as the significance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
Lai responded by posting a message on X, thanking the G7 leaders for their support and concerns. He stated that Taiwan will keep collaborating with like-minded global partners to address China's coercion and enhance economic ties to secure regional peace and prosperity, Central News Agency (CNA) reported.
Additionally, Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said that the G7 leaders' statement signifies a developing international consensus on the necessity of protecting peace in the Taiwan Strait, the report said.
In a press release issued on Wednesday, the Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) noted that the G7 Chair's Summary underscored their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific based on the rule of law, along with their concerns over China's industrial policies that result in global market distortions and harmful overcapacity.
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