25 Chinese warplanes cross Taiwan Strait median line: Defense ministry
ROC Central News Agency
08/20/2023 01:18 PM
Taipei, Aug. 20 (CNA) A total of 45 warplanes and nine warships from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China were detected around Taiwan during the 24-hour period from 6 a.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday, including 25 warplane that crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND).
Among the intruding aircraft that crossed the informal dividing line in the strait between China and Taiwan, nine were Su-30 fighter jets, four were J-11s, and 12 were J-10s, flight path released on Sunday by the MND showed.
In addition, a Y-9 electronic warfare aircraft and a Z-9 anti-submarine helicopter were detected entering the southwestern part of Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND data.
An ADIZ is an area declared by a country to allow it to identify, locate and control approaching foreign aircraft but is not part of territorial airspace as defined by international law.
The MND did not provide details of the locations of the nine PLA warships around Taiwan.
According to images released by the Military News Agency, the Navy's Tian Dan guided-missile frigates were closely monitoring activities of the PLA's Xuzhou frigate.
"The Armed Forces have monitored the situation and tasked CAP (combat air patrol) aircraft, Navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond these activities," the ministry said in a statement.
On Saturday, the PLA's Eastern Theater Command launched joint air and sea patrols, and navy and air force military exercises near Taiwan proper, which it claimed were conducted as a "stern warning" to Taiwan independence separatists for colluding with "foreign elements" and in response to their "provocations."
The military activities came after Vice President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) returned to Taiwan on Friday following a visit to Paraguay, Taiwan's South American diplomatic ally, from Aug. 12-18.
During the trip, Lai made two stopovers in the United States -- the first in New York on Aug. 12 (local time) and the second in San Francisco on Aug. 16 (local time).
Beijing, which regards Taiwan and mainland China as part of one country, has objected to the stopovers and accused Lai and his ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of using the visits to promote Taiwan's independence.
Washington has maintained that allowing Taiwanese presidents and vice-presidents to transit on American soil had been a "routine" practice for decades and that Lai's visit was no exception.
Taipei has blasted the latest round of Chinese military exercises around Taiwan, which it said caused disorder in the region and were an attempt to influence Taiwan's elections next year.
In a statement released Saturday, the Presidential Office said it is a long-standing practice for Taiwan's presidents and vice presidents to have stopovers in the U.S.
"China should not use this as a pretext for its provocations," it said, adding that China's recent provocative behavior in and around the Taiwan Strait is an attempt to influence the presidential and legislative elections next year and has caused tension in the region.
Meanwhile, in an interview broadcast late Saturday with a local news station, Lai, who has on more than one occasion described himself as a "pragmatic worker for Taiwan independence," insisted that Taiwan is a democratic country.
It's Taiwan's people who get to decide who should serve as their president, instead of China, the DPP's presidential candidate said.
"It is not the person China favors who can have the job. This violates the spirit of democracy, and poses a huge blow to Taiwan's democratic system," Lai said.
However, his opponents in the January 2024 race, New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) and former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), are far from being considered pro-China even if they may be seen by Beijing as more preferable candidates because they have not openly supported Taiwan independence as Lai has.
Hou, from the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT), has pledged to reduce tensions, maintain peace and prevent a war from breaking out between the two sides, while Ko from the Taiwan People's Party sees himself as the best alternative for voters dissatisfied with both the DPP and the KMT.
The MND has meanwhile condemned the PLA drills, calling them "irrational and provocative."
(By Matt Yu and Elizabeth Hsu)
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