Taiwan detected 153 aircraft of Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and 26 vessels of PLA navy (PLAN), including 14 combat ships over the past day as part of the contingent taking part in military exercises near the island, the Taiwanese Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
On Monday, China began military exercises Joint Sword-2024B around Taiwan to practice jointly assaulting, blocking and taking control of key ports and areas of the island.
“[From] 5 to 6 a.m. Monday to Tuesday [from 21:00 GMT on Sunday to 22:00 GMT on Monday], Oct. 14-15, 153 PLA aircraft, 14 PLAN vessels and 12 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. [22:00 GMT on Monday] today. 111 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s western, southwestern and eastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded,” the ministry said on X.
Taiwan has been governed independently of 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, although it has stopped short of declaring independence. Beijing opposes any official contacts by foreign states with Taipei and considers Chinese sovereignty over the island indisputable.
