The Ministry of National Defense said today that Chinese warplanes and warships had carried out the first "combat patrol" around Taiwan of the new year, after President William Lai (賴清德) again expressed willingness to talk to Beijing.
China sends its military into the skies and waters near the island on an almost daily basis, and holds what Taiwan calls "joint combat readiness patrols" several times a month.
The Ministry of National Defense said it had detected 22 Chinese military aircraft, including J-16 fighter jets, carrying out a "joint combat readiness patrol" around Taiwan in conjunction with Chinese warships starting this morning.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of National Defense
It said the Chinese aircraft flew in airspace to the north, west, southwest and east of Taiwan, and that Taiwanese forces were dispatched to keep watch.
China's defense ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Lai, in his New Year's Day news conference, reiterated his desire for exchanges with China. He has repeatedly called for talks but has been rebuffed. Beijing, which held two rounds of war games around Taiwan last year, calls him a "separatist."
China's Eastern Theatre Command, whose area of responsibility includes Taiwan, yesterday released a New Year's video on social media of warships and warplanes, and what appeared to be a Chinese fighter jet flying near a P-8 Poseidon patrol aircraft that the US sometimes sends through the Taiwan Strait.
The video, set to the song "Chinese" by Hong Kong pop star Andy Lau (劉德華), also included images of Chinese students visiting Taiwan late last year at the invitation of former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) told reporters in Taipei today that the video was another example of Chinese psychological warfare.
The video is an example of China’s “united front” efforts to create an “illusion,” he said.
"It is the People's Liberation Army showing its intimidation of Taiwan," he said.
He believes Taiwanese know that the Chinese Communist Party is acting primarily due to political factors, he said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to implement Lai’s Four Pillars of Peace action plan and Four Commitments to handle the cross-strait and international relations, he added.
Additional reporting by Fion Khan and CNA
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