China
Taiwan detects 43 Chinese warplanes around island
Taiwan’s defense ministry detected over 40 Chinese warplanes and 7 naval vessels near the island. China has increased military pressure on Taiwan, raising regional security concerns. The situation has escalated due to Taiwan’s plans to acquire military drones, according to China’s defense ministry.
![](https://gutzymedia.s3.ap-northeast-2.amazonaws.com/wp/2023/09/17062648/featured-image-taiwan-china.png)
TAIPEI, TAIWAN — More than 40 Chinese warplanes were detected around Taiwan in a day, the self-ruled island’s defence ministry said on Wednesday.
Beijing claims democratic Taiwan as its own territory to be seized one day, by force if necessary, and has ratcheted up military and diplomatic pressures on the island this year.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence said in a daily statement that 43 Chinese aircraft and 7 naval vessels were detected around the island in a 24-hour period leading up to 6:00 am Wednesday (2200 GMT Tuesday).
The ministry said “37 of the detected aircraft had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s southwest and southeast (air identification zone) ADIZ”.
The median line bisects the 180-kilometre (110-mile) waterway separating the island from China.
This month, Taiwan’s defence minister said China had stepped up “military intimidation” this year by flying an increased number of warplanes around the island and accelerating the deployment of ballistic missiles.
The ministry reports near-daily warplane incursions by the Chinese military, which in the past year has carried out massive war games around Taiwan’s waters.
In September, China sent in 103 planes around Taiwan within a 24-hour period, which Taipei described as “a recent high”.
The ministry said at the time that Beijing’s “continued military harassment can easily lead to a sharp escalation in tension and worsen regional security”.
In April, Beijing conducted military exercises to simulate the encirclement of the island, after Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen met Kevin McCarthy, the US House speaker at the time, in California.
Beijing hates Tsai for her refusal to accept that Taiwan belongs to China, and often makes a strong show of force when officials from various countries meet her as it denotes the island’s sovereignty.
Last week, China’s defence ministry accused Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party of pushing the island toward a “dangerous situation of war” at an “accelerated pace”, after reports that Taipei planned to buy thousands of military drones in the next four years.
— AFP
![](https://gutzy.asia/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Gutzy-Logo-whiteS.png)
-
Politics1 week ago
Jamus Lim on Minister Chee Hong Tat’s remarks on fiscal policy: Calls for genuine debate over rhetoric
-
Politics2 weeks ago
SM Lee: Singaporeans must ‘change attitudes’ as Govt promises ‘bold and necessary changes’
-
Community1 week ago
Toast Box faces backlash and boycott calls amid price increases
-
Media1 week ago
Notice to Our Readers: Moving Back to The Online Citizen
-
Singapore1 week ago
Singapore introduces new scheme in April 2025 offering up to S$6,000 in financial support for retrenched workers
-
Politics1 week ago
Jamus Lim raises concerns over high cost of living and its impact on Singaporeans’ sense of belonging
-
Opinion1 week ago
Chee Hong Tat’s call for fiscal prudence rings hollow amid contradictory government spending
-
Singapore1 week ago
Tan Suee Chieh: Sacrificing NTUC Income’s values for short-term gains undermines its foundation