Following the inauguration of Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te, Beijing conducted large-scale military exercises, during which several fighter planes entered Taiwan’s air defense zone.
China has sent 62 fighter jets towards the East Asian island republic of Taiwan – more than ever before this year within one day. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry announced this on Saturday.
47 of the aircraft entered Taiwan’s air defense zone. The previous record of 45 aircraft was recorded on May 15. China sends military aircraft to Taiwan almost every day.
On Thursday, China’s People’s Liberation Army began a two-day military exercise around Taiwan, during which a blockade of the island was apparently also to be simulated. The military exercise took place three days after the inauguration of Taiwan’s new president, Lai Ching-te. His Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won the presidential election in January and advocates a course critical of Beijing. The ruling Communist Party in Beijing accuses the DPP of separatism.
China considers Taiwan a breakaway province, although independent and democratically elected governments have been in power there for decades. The leadership in Beijing has already threatened several times to unite the island, which has a population of more than 23 million, and the mainland by military force. In addition to regular exercises by the armed forces, fighter planes fly towards Taiwan almost daily to demonstrate the military power of the People’s Liberation Army.
Source: Stern
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