Chinese Army Sends 71 Aircraft, Seven Ships to Taiwan Strait

By Staff, Agencies

Taiwan's defense ministry said on Monday that the island's armed forces registered 71 aircraft and seven ships of the Chinese People's Liberation Army [PLA] approaching the island in the past 24 hours.

"71 PLA aircraft and 7 PLAN vessels around Taiwan were detected in our surrounding region by 6 a.m. today. 47 of the detected aircraft had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s southwest ADIZ. R.O.C. [air defense identification zone of the Republic of China]," the ministry said in a statement.

Taiwan sent jets, Navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond to China’s actions, the ministry added.

The situation around Taiwan escalated after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island in early August. China condemned Pelosi's trip, which it regarded as a gesture of support for separatism, and launched large-scale military exercises in the vicinity of the island.

Several countries, including France, Lithuania, the United States, Japan, and most recently Germany have sent their delegations to the island since then, further increasing tensions in the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan has been governed independently from mainland China since 1949. Beijing views the island as its province, while Taiwan — a territory with its own elected government — maintains that it is an autonomous country but stops short of declaring independence. Beijing opposes any official contacts of foreign states with Taipei and considers Chinese sovereignty over the island indisputable.