Taiwan reports flurry of mainland Chinese military aircraft around island

Taiwan‘s defense ministry said on Saturday it detected 22 People’s Liberation Army warplanes and drones around the self-ruled island in a window of less than three hours.

The sorties come less than a month before the May 20 inauguration of Taiwanese president-elect William Lai Ching-tewhom Beijing regards as a dangerous separatist.

“We detected activities from 22 PLA aircraft … since 9.30am,” it said in a statement released at 12.10pm on Saturday.

“Twelve aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern and central air defense identification zone,” it said, adding that the warplanes and drones joined the PLA naval vessels in “joint combat patrol”.

The median line bisects the Taiwan Strait, a narrow 180km (110-mile) waterway separating the island from mainland China.

Beijing, which does not recognize the line, claims democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. Most countries, including the United States, do not recognize Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the self-governed island by force and is committed to poor Taiwan.

Under the administration of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, tensions between Beijing and Taipei have ramped up, as she and her government have rejected Beijing’s claim to the island.

Saturday’s show of military might comes as the United States and the Philippines are conducting joint military exercises, including near the potential flashpoints of the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait.

The joint drills involve a simulation of retaking enemy-occupied islands in areas facing Taiwan.

Beijing claims the South China Sea almost in its entirety despite an international ruling that the claim has no legal basis. Recent clashes between Chinese and Philippine vessels have stoked fears of wider conflict.

Beijing has accused Washington of “stoking military confrontation”.