Taiwan's defense ministry has reported a significant increase in Chinese military aircraft presence near the island, with a record-high of 36 detected, including 13 crossing the sensitive median line of the Taiwan Strait. Since President Tsai Ing-wen's election in 2016, Beijing has intensified military pressures by frequently sending warplanes and naval vessels near Taiwan. This surge in activity follows China's opposition to Tsai's stance on Taiwan's independence.
China's Taiwan Affairs Office has criticized vice-president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim's diplomatic visits, accusing her of promoting Taiwan independence, which has further escalated tensions in the Taiwan Strait. Beijing considers democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and has never ruled out the use of force to bring it under its control.
Since President Tsai's election, Beijing has consistently increased military activities, sending warplanes and naval vessels near Taiwan on a near-daily basis. In the latest 24-hour period leading up to 6:00 am Friday, the Ministry of National Defense also detected six naval ships operating around Taiwan.
The ministry noted that among the 36 military aircraft detected, 13 had crossed the sensitive median line of the Taiwan Strait. This announcement comes after nighttime activity by the Chinese military was reported, with Taiwan's defense ministry detecting 20 fighter jets, aerial unmanned vehicles, and transport planes on Thursday night.
Tensions have remained high since Tsai's election, with China severing high-level communications due to her refusal to acknowledge Beijing's claim over Taiwan. Tsai's deputy, Lai Ching-te, who China sees as a separatist, was elected in January despite warnings from Beijing.
Lai and vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) are set to take office on May 20. Hsiao, a former de facto ambassador to the United States, has been traveling in recent days, including visits to the Czech Republic and the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
China's Taiwan Affairs Office criticized Hsiao's visit to the Czech Republic, accusing her of promoting Taiwan independence and destabilizing peace in the Taiwan Strait. Beijing often reacts strongly to any diplomatic acknowledgment of Taiwanese officials by other countries.
Adding to the tensions, a dispute between Taipei and Beijing over a fatal fishing boat incident has been ongoing since last month. A Chinese speedboat capsized near Taiwan's Kinmen islands on February 14 during a pursuit by the Taiwanese coast guard, resulting in two deaths.
Beijing has accused Taiwanese authorities of evading responsibilities and concealing the truth about the incident, while Taiwan's coast guard has claimed the boat lost balance while zigzagging. China has announced increased patrols around Kinmen following a series of deadly incidents in the area.
Last September, Taiwan observed the highest number of Chinese warplanes in a 24-hour period, with 103 aircraft detected. Taiwan has criticized China for employing "grey-zone" harassment tactics, which fall short of open warfare but strain Taipei's military resources.
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