On Saturday, Taiwan’s defense ministry announced that they had detected 41 Chinese military aircraft and seven naval vessels operating around the island in the previous 24 hours. This came after Beijing issued guidelines that included the death penalty for supporters of Taiwanese independence, which they deemed as “particularly serious” cases. The ministry stated that 32 of the aircraft had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, a boundary separating Taiwan from China. They reassured that they were monitoring the situation and responding accordingly.
China considers Taiwan to be a part of its territory and has stated that it will not hesitate to use force to bring the island under Beijing’s control. In recent years, China has increased pressure on Taiwan and conducted military exercises around the island following the inauguration of Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te. The situation between Taiwan and China is tense, with both sides engaging in military activities and making threats.
In a separate incident on May 25, Taiwan identified 62 Chinese military aircraft near the island in a single day, the highest number in a day this year. This comes after Beijing issued guidelines that included the death penalty for supporters of Taiwanese independence, which they deemed as “particularly serious” cases. The ministry stated that it was closely monitoring the situation and would take necessary measures to ensure national security.
