China ramps up military incursions around Taiwan

Taipei [Taiwan], June 6 (ANI): Taiwan's Ministry of Defence detected 38 Chinese aircraft, seven Chinese vessels and one official ship operating around its territorial waters as of 6am (local time) on Friday.

Out of 38, 35 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, southwestern and eastern ADIZ (Air Defence Identification Zone).

In a post on X, Taiwan's MND said, "38 PLA aircraft, 7 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC 8) today. 35 out of 38 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, southwestern and eastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded."

Earlier on Thursday, Taiwan detected 24 sorties of PLA aircraft and eight PLAN vessels operating around itself.

In a post on X, Taiwan's MND said, "24 sorties of PLA aircraft and 8 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC 8) today. 18 out of 24 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly."

Beijing sent two aircraft carrier strike groups and numerous warships to the waters both north and south of Taiwan last month, as noted by a Taiwanese security official, amid rising tensions between China and Taiwan, as reported by The Eurasian Times.

From May 1 to May 27, around 70 Chinese vessels, including naval ships, were tracked from the Yellow Sea to the South China Sea, according to a security official who requested anonymity. In recent years, China has intensified the deployment of warships and fighter jets around Taiwan, pressuring Taipei to recognise its claims of sovereignty over the island, The Eurasian Times reported.

China has not dismissed the possibility of using military force to bring Taiwan under its control, posing an ongoing threat of invasion to the island. "Their military activities and grey-zone operations have involved substantial deployments across the entire island chain, representing a strategy of comprehensive maximum pressure," the security official indicated, as quoted by The Eurasian Times. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)