Taipei [Taiwan], May 23: Taiwan's Ministry of Defence (MND), on Thursday, detected Chinese incursion around Taiwan's vicinity up until 6 am. According to the ministry's statement, one People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, eight People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels and four China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels were seen operating around Taiwan on Thursday. Moreover, the aircraft entered Taiwan's Southwest and Southeast Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).
Taiwan's Armed Forces (ROCArmedForces) monitored the situation and responded accordingly, the statement said. "1 PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN vessels, and 4 CCG vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. The aircraft entered Taiwan's SW and SE ADIZ. #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and responded accordingly," Taiwan's MND said in a post shared on X. On Wednesday, the Taiwan Ministry of Defence (MND) tracked seven People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels and four China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels operating around the nation up until 6 am.
"7 PLAN vessels and 4 CCG vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. #ROCArmedForces has monitored the situation and responded accordingly," the Taiwan MND said in a statement. This development marks a concerning escalation in the tensions between Taiwan and China, which has long claimed sovereignty over the island, as per Taiwan News.
The increased presence of Chinese military assets near Taiwan underscores the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the region. Taiwan has frequently raised concerns about China's military activities and its ambitions to reunify Taiwan with the mainland, by force if necessary. The median line of the Taiwan Strait served for decades as a tacit border between China and Taiwan, but China's military has more freely sent aircraft, warships and drones across it since former United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August 2022.
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