Latest news with #TaiwanDefenseMinistry
Al Jazeera
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Taiwan detects dozens of Chinese aircraft near island after UK ship patrol
Taiwan's defence ministry says that it has detected more than 70 Chinese military aircraft around the island in the last 24 hours, just days after a British naval vessel sailed through the sensitive Taiwan Strait. The latest sightings reported on Friday come as Beijing continues to ramp up the deployment of fighter jets and naval vessels around Taiwan in recent months to press its claim of sovereignty of the island, which Taipei rejects. Along with 50 aircraft, six Chinese naval vessels were detected in the 24 hours to 6am on Friday (22:00 GMT on Thursday), the defence ministry said. An additional 24 Chinese aircraft, including fighters and drones, were spotted since 08:50am (00:50 GMT) on Friday, the ministry said in a separate statement. Among the second batch of aircraft, 15 crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait in conducting air-sea joint training with Chinese naval vessels, the ministry said, adding it 'monitored the situation and responded accordingly'. China insists that democratic, self-ruled Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan has allied itself with the United States, angering Beijing. The latest incursions came after the British Royal Navy patrol vessel HMS Spey sailed through the Taiwan Strait on June 18, Taiwan's foreign ministry said on Thursday. China strongly condemned Britain's latest move as a deliberate attempt to 'cause trouble'. Britain's Royal Navy said the patrol vessel conducted a routine navigation through the narrow waterway that was part of a long-planned deployment and took place in full compliance with international law. The Eastern Theatre Command of China's People's Liberation Army said the Wednesday sailing of the ship was 'public hyping' and that its forces followed and monitored the Spey. The UK, United States and other countries view the 180km (112-mile) Taiwan Strait as international waters that should be open to all vessels. In February, a Canadian warship also passed through the Strait, days after a US destroyer and a US ocean survey ship made the passage. The last time a British Navy ship transited the Taiwan Strait was in 2021, when the HMS Richmond, a frigate deployed with Britain's aircraft carrier strike group, sailed through from Japan to Vietnam. In April, Taiwan detected 76 Chinese aircraft and 15 naval vessels around the island, when Beijing conducted live-fire exercises that included simulated strikes aimed at the island's key ports and energy sites. The highest number of Chinese aircraft recorded was 153 on October 15, 2024, after China staged large-scale military drills in response to a speech by Taiwan's President William Lai Ching-te on National Day, days earlier.
Al Arabiya
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
China sends scores of warplanes toward Taiwan
China sent 74 warplanes toward Taiwan between late Thursday and early Friday, 61 of which crossed the central line in the Taiwan Strait that unofficially divides the sides, an unusually large number as tensions remained heightened in the region. It wasn't clear why so many planes were scrambled between late Thursday and early Friday, as tabulated by Taiwan's Defense Ministry. The planes were sent in two separate tranches, it added. China considers Taiwan its own territory and uses such deployments to advertise its threat to encircle and possibly invade the self-governing island. China also hopes to intimidate Taiwan's population of 23 million and wear down its equipment and the morale of its armed forces. On Thursday, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs 'confirmed and welcomed' the transit of the British Royal Navy's off-shore patrol craft HMS Spey through the Taiwan Strait a day earlier. The ship's transit, the ministry said, 'once again (reaffirmed the Strait's) status as international waters.' 'Such transits by the U.K. and other like-minded countries are encouraged to safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific,' the Foreign Ministry said. Britain's representative office in Taipei said in a statement that the Spey had conducted a navigation of the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law and rights provided under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. 'Wherever the Royal Navy operates, it does so in full compliance with international law and exercises its right to Freedom of Navigation and overflight,' the statement added. China responded angrily, saying the Eastern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army 'organized troops to monitor and guard the entire process and effectively responded and dealt with it.' The British ship's action 'deliberately disturbed the situation and undermined the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait,' the Eastern Theater Command said in a statement. The bustling Taiwan Strait lies in international waters, but China objects to any transit or activity within it by foreign military vessels. It wasn't clear if the large number of Chinese warplanes sent on Thursday and Friday were related to the earlier sailing of the British ship. Six military ships accompanied the Chinese planes, which ranged from drones to fighter jets and early warning and other support aircraft. Taiwan deployed ships, fighter interceptors and land-based missile systems in response.
Washington Post
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
China sends scores of planes across central line in Taiwan Strait
TAIPEI, Taiwan — China sent 74 warplanes toward Taiwan between late Thursday and early Friday, 61 of which crossed the central line in the Taiwan Strait that unofficially divides the sides, an unusually large number as tensions remained heightened in the region. It wasn't clear why so many planes were scrambled between late Thursday and early Friday, as tabulated by Taiwan's Defense Ministry. The planes were sent in two separate tranches, it added. China considers Taiwan its own territory and uses such deployments to advertise its threat to encircle and possibly invade the self-governing island. China also hopes to intimidate Taiwan's population of 23 million and wear down its equipment and the morale of its armed forces. On Thursday, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs 'confirmed and welcomed' the transit of the British Royal Navy's off-shore patrol craft HMS Spey through the Taiwan Strait a day earlier. The ship's transit, the ministry said, 'once again (reaffirmed the Strait's) status as international waters.' 'Such transits by the U.K. and other like-minded countries are encouraged to safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific,' the Foreign Ministry said. Britain's representative office in Taipei said in a statement that the Spey had conducted a navigation of the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law and rights provided under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. 'Wherever the Royal Navy operates, it does so in full compliance with international law and exercises its right to Freedom of Navigation and overflight,' the statement added. China responded angrily, saying the Eastern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army 'organized troops to monitor and guard the entire process and effectively responded and dealt with it.' The British ship's action 'deliberately disturbed the situation and undermined the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait,' the Eastern Theater Command said in a statement. The bustling Taiwan Strait lies in international waters, but China objects to any transit or activity within it by foreign military vessels. It wasn't clear if the large number of Chinese warplanes sent on Thursday and Friday were related to the earlier sailing of the British ship. Six military ships accompanied the Chinese planes, which ranged from drones to fighter jets and early warning and other support aircraft. Taiwan deployed ships, fighter interceptors and land-based missile systems in response.
Associated Press
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
China sends scores of planes across central line in Taiwan Strait
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China sent 74 warplanes toward Taiwan between late Thursday and early Friday, 61 of which crossed the central line in the Taiwan Strait that unofficially divides the sides, an unusually large number as tensions remained heightened in the region. It wasn't clear why so many planes were scrambled between late Thursday and early Friday, as tabulated by Taiwan's Defense Ministry. The planes were sent in two separate tranches, it added. China considers Taiwan its own territory and uses such deployments to advertise its threat to encircle and possibly invade the self-governing island. China also hopes to intimidate Taiwan's population of 23 million and wear down its equipment and the morale of its armed forces. On Thursday, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs 'confirmed and welcomed' the transit of the British Royal Navy's off-shore patrol craft HMS Spey through the Taiwan Strait a day earlier. The ship's transit, the ministry said, 'once again (reaffirmed the Strait's) status as international waters.' 'Such transits by the U.K. and other like-minded countries are encouraged to safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific,' the Foreign Ministry said. Britain's representative office in Taipei said in a statement that the Spey had conducted a navigation of the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law and rights provided under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. 'Wherever the Royal Navy operates, it does so in full compliance with international law and exercises its right to Freedom of Navigation and overflight,' the statement added. China responded angrily, saying the Eastern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army 'organized troops to monitor and guard the entire process and effectively responded and dealt with it.' The British ship's action 'deliberately disturbed the situation and undermined the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait,' the Eastern Theater Command said in a statement. The bustling Taiwan Strait lies in international waters, but China objects to any transit or activity within it by foreign military vessels. It wasn't clear if the large number of Chinese warplanes sent on Thursday and Friday were related to the earlier sailing of the British ship. Six military ships accompanied the Chinese planes, which ranged from drones to fighter jets and early warning and other support aircraft. Taiwan deployed ships, fighter interceptors and land-based missile systems in response.
Al Arabiya
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Taiwan detects 50 Chinese military aircraft around island
Taiwan detected 50 Chinese military aircraft around the island, the defense ministry said Friday, days after a British naval vessel sailed through the sensitive Taiwan Strait. China insists democratic, self-ruled Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring the island under its control. Beijing has ramped up the deployment of fighter jets and naval vessels around Taiwan in recent years to press its claim of sovereignty, which Taipei rejects. Taiwan also accuses China of using espionage, cyberattacks and disinformation to weaken its defenses. Along with the 50 aircraft, six Chinese naval vessels were also detected in the 24 hours to 6:00 a.m. (10:00 p.m. GMT Thursday), the defense ministry said. It said in a separate statement that an additional 24 Chinese aircraft, including fighters and drones, were spotted since 8:50 a.m. Friday. Among them, 15 crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait in conducting air–sea joint training with Chinese naval vessels, the ministry said, adding it 'monitored the situation and responded accordingly.' The latest incursion came after British Royal Navy patrol vessel HMS Spey sailed through the Taiwan Strait on June 18, Taiwan's foreign ministry said Thursday. The United States and other countries view the 180-kilometer (112-mile) Taiwan Strait as international waters that should be open to all vessels. The last time a British Navy ship transited the Taiwan Strait was in 2021, when the HMS Richmond, a frigate deployed with Britain's aircraft carrier strike group, sailed through from Japan to Vietnam. China strongly condemned Britain at the time and deployed its military to follow the vessel. In April, Taiwan detected 76 Chinese aircraft and 15 naval vessels around the island, when Beijing conducted live-fire exercises that included simulated strikes aimed at the island's key ports and energy sites. The highest number of Chinese aircraft recorded was 153 on October 15, after China staged large-scale military drills in response to Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te's National Day speech days earlier.
