China Fighter Jet Taiwan - A Chinese J-11 military fighter jet flies over the Taiwan Strait on Friday, August 5, 2022 [File: Ng Han Guan/AP]
China's military has sent 71 planes and seven ships to Taiwan, according to Taiwan's defense ministry, marking the largest daily raid to date as Beijing protests "collusion and provocation" by the self-governing island and the United States.
China Fighter Jet Taiwan
In a statement on Monday, Taiwan's defense ministry said 47 of China's aircraft crossed the centerline of the Taiwan Strait, an unofficial border once tacitly accepted by both sides, during a 24-hour display of force.
China Is Sending 'grandpa Fighter Jets' To Test Taiwan's Defenses
The defense ministry said it was monitoring China's movements through land-based missile systems, as well as its own naval vessels.
47 of the detected aircraft (J-11*12, SU-30*6, CH-4 UCAV RECCE*1, J-10*6, J-16*18, Y-8 EW*1, Y-8 ASW* 1, KJ-500*1, WZ-7 UAV RECCE*1) passed the centerline of the Taiwan Strait and entered the southwestern ADIZ of Taiwan, the flight path as shown. — 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, R.O.C. 🇹🇼 (@MoNDefense) December 26, 2022
China, which claims Taiwan as its territory, said on Sunday it had conducted "joint combat readiness patrols and joint fire strike exercises" in the sea and airspace around the self-governed island.
The People's Liberation Army said the exercise was "a strong response to the current escalation and provocation between the US and Taiwan".
Taiwan Reports 9 Chinese Aircraft In Its Air Defense Zone
It did not specify the nature of the alleged provocation, but Beijing is angry about Taiwan-related provisions in the recently passed US defense spending bill.
The $858 billion legislation, signed by US President Joe Biden on Friday, allows for increased security cooperation with Taiwan and calls for expanded cooperation with India on emerging defense technology, preparedness and logistics.
China objects to US aid for Taiwan, an island of 23 million off the east coast that split from the mainland during a civil war that brought the Communist Party to power in Beijing in 1949. The US has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but is an international supporter and the island's main arms supplier.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen reiterated the need for Taiwan to increase its defense capabilities due to "the continued expansion of authoritarianism" at a military council on Monday morning, though she did not mention the latest military activities.
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"The more preparations we make, the less chance of a hasty invasion attempt. The more united we are, the stronger and safer Taiwan will be," Tsai told the assembled officials.
China's foreign ministry said on Saturday it "deplores and strongly opposes" defense cooperation between the US and Taiwan and that Washington's defense law "seriously affects peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait."
The Chinese military often uses major military exercises as a show of force in response to the US government's actions in support of Taiwan.
It conducted extensive military exercises in August following the visit of Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan.
Taiwan Displays Advanced Fighter Jets After China's Military Drills
Beijing, which has never given up on using force to control Taiwan, sees visits by foreign governments to the island as a de facto recognition of the island's independence and a challenge to China's claims of sovereignty. The island's defense ministry said 27 aircraft had been spotted, 22 of which crossed the centerline of the Taiwan Strait.
While such incidents are common, the latest attack comes a day before China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) is due to conduct large-scale naval exercises around the island, which Beijing considers part of its territory. The move will see Chinese troops deployed in six different zones around Taiwan. A senior Taiwanese defense official described it as "up to a naval and air blockade".
Many Western officials have expressed concern about a military escalation in Taiwan following a scenario similar to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
 "China Fighter Jet Taiwan")
China's latest move is part of Beijing's response to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to the island this week. Pelosi has ignored China's repeated warnings against the trip. Once there, he promised that the US would "always stand behind Taiwan" in what could be seen as an indication that Washington is ready to support Taiwan militarily in the event of a Chinese attack on the mainland.
Chinese Fighter Jets Enter Taiwan's Defense Zone
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Officially, the US does not recognize Taiwan as an independent country and its representatives have tried to remain vague on the issue of possible US involvement. However, this ambiguity was weakened by President Joe Biden, who pledged to use military force to defend Taiwan in May.
Beijing denounces foreign involvement in what it sees as domestic issues, as well as any gestures that support Taipei's position that Taiwan is an independent country. Following Pelosi's arrival in Taiwan, China's foreign ministry called on US ambassador to Beijing Nicolas Burns to protest, warning Washington would "pay the price" for the visit. Chinese diplomats said that "the United States is the provocateur" and China is the "victim".
"The move is very horrible and the consequences are very serious," Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Xie Feng told the Xinhua news agency.
China Continuous Testing Of Taiwan's Air Defence
The Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers condemned the Chinese military exercises following Pelosi's visit to Taiwan.
"There is no justification for using the visit as a pretext for aggressive military activity in the Taiwan Strait," the statement said. The G7 countries said: "Beijing's escalating response threatens to exacerbate tensions and destabilize the region."
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, speaking in Montreal alongside her German counterpart Annalena Baerbock, urged Beijing to ease tensions.
"We believe lawmakers are on tour around the world and that tour clearly cannot be used as an excuse to increase tension or excuse," Joly told reporters. "So in that sense, we are calling on China to ease comfort, as we believe there is a risk not only of increasing tensions, but also of destabilizing the region."
Taiwan Fighters Repeatedly Chase Away Chinese Military Aircraft
The White House said on Wednesday there was no reason for Beijing to turn Pelosi's visit to Taiwan into a crisis.
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