A surge in Chinese military aircraft around Taiwan was detected in the 24 hours before 6am, the Ministry of National Defense said today, as China condemned a British navy vessel's transit through the Taiwan Strait.
Fifty Chinese aircraft and six vessels were detected around Taiwan over the 24-hour period, the ministry said.
Forty-six of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s northern, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones, it said.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of National Defense
In addition, 24 Chinese aircraft, including Su-30 fighters and Shaanxi KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft, were detected around Taiwan from 8:50am this morning, 15 of which crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones, the ministry said.
China was “harassing” the airspace and waters around Taiwan in the name of “joint combat readiness patrols,” it said.
Taiwan’s armed forces “monitored the situation and employed [patrol] aircraft, navy vessels and coastal missile systems in response to the detected activities,” the ministry said.
The spike in Chinese military activity was reported as China today described the transit of a British patrol vessel through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday as a deliberate attempt to "cause trouble."
The HMS Spey conducted a routine navigation through the Strait as part of a long-planned deployment, which took place in full compliance with international law, the British Royal Navy said.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theater Command said the ship's transit was "public hyping" and that its forces had followed and monitored the HMS Spey.
"The British side's remarks distort legal principles and mislead the public; its actions deliberately cause trouble and disrupt things, undermining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," it said in a statement.
"Troops in the theater are on high alert at all times and will resolutely counter all threats and provocations," it added.
Meanwhile, President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday ordered defense and security units to step up their monitoring and intelligence efforts in response to China's military activities, which he said have not abated, even as tensions rise in the Middle East.
Taiwan has, along with Japan, been tracking the movement of two Chinese aircraft carriers conducting simultaneous operations in the Pacific for the first time.
Lai, in a statement released by his office after meeting with defense officials, said the conflict between Israel and Iran has led to a "chain of global security challenges."
"From the perspective of our country and even the Indo-Pacific region, it is worth paying special attention to the fact that China's military pressure in the entire region of the first and second island chains has not slowed due to the situation in the Middle East," he said.
"The actions of the two aircraft carrier groups of the Shandong and Liaoning in the relevant waters of the first and second island chains in the past few days have posed considerable risks for the Indo-Pacific region and have aroused the heightened concern of the international community," Lai said.
The first island chain refers to an area that runs southeast from Japan to Taiwan, the Philippines and Borneo, while the second island chain spreads further out into the Pacific to include places such as the US territory of Guam.
The US Indo-Pacific Command has raised its Force Protection Condition level across the region, Lai said.
He said that he has directed the Ministry of National Defense and the national security team to closely monitor the situation and its effect on regional security, and to enhance their "intelligence gathering and research capabilities."
At the same time, Taiwan should maintain close coordination with its "friends" to ensure a swift response to any "emergencies," he added.
China's navy, which has been honing its abilities to operate further from the country's coast, last week said that the carrier operations were "routine training" exercises that did not target specific countries or regions.
China operates two carriers, with a third undergoing sea trials.
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