Taiwan detects 45 Chinese aircraft in 24 hours, highest this year

Al Arabiya

27-02-2025

Taiwan reported Thursday that it had detected 45 Chinese military aircraft near the island, the highest number recorded this year. The surge in activity follows Taiwan's condemnation of China's "live-fire" drills conducted off its southern coast.
China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has repeatedly threatened to use force to bring the self-ruled island under its control. In recent years, Beijing has ramped up military deployments, sending fighter jets and naval vessels near Taiwan to assert its sovereignty—a claim that Taipei firmly rejects.
According to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense, between 6:00 am Wednesday and 6:00 am Thursday (2200 GMT on Wednesday), 45 Chinese aircraft and 14 warships were spotted near Taiwan. This marks the highest number of Chinese aircraft detected since December 11, according to an AFP tally.
Taiwan condemns China's military actions
On Wednesday, Taiwan accused China of conducting a combat drill involving aircraft and warships, followed by "live-fire exercises" approximately 40 nautical miles (74 kilometers) off its southern coast. Taipei denounced these actions as dangerous and a violation of "international norms."
In response, Taiwan's military deployed its own forces to "monitor, alert, and respond appropriately," the defense ministry stated.
Beijing's foreign ministry has declined to comment on the recent military activity. However, Taiwan's foreign ministry issued a statement on Thursday calling on Beijing to "exercise rational self-restraint" and to "immediately stop military provocations." It also urged the international community to "continue to pay attention to the security of the Taiwan Strait and the region, and jointly condemn China's actions."
Fears of cable sabotage
Meanwhile, tensions escalated further when Taiwan seized a Chinese-crewed cargo ship suspected of cutting a subsea telecom cable serving the Taiwan-administered Penghu Islands.
Concerns over the security of undersea communication lines have grown in Taiwan, as it fears that China could sever its network as part of a blockade or a military strategy to seize the island.
Taiwan remains a potential flashpoint for a conflict between China and the United States, its most important ally and largest arms supplier. While Washington is legally obligated to provide Taiwan with defensive weapons, it has long maintained "strategic ambiguity" over whether it would intervene militarily in the event of a Chinese invasion.
Despite strong bipartisan support for Taiwan in the US Congress, concerns remain over whether President Donald Trump would prioritize Taiwan's defense if China launched an attack.
In an effort to strengthen ties with Washington, Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te has pledged to increase investment in the US, reduce the trade imbalance, and bolster military spending. Taiwan is also considering increasing imports of US natural gas as part of economic cooperation.
The dispute between China and Taiwan dates back to 1949, when Chiang Kai-shek's Kuomintang nationalist forces fled to Taiwan after losing the Chinese civil war to Mao Zedong's communist troops. Despite never having ruled Taiwan, Beijing considers it a breakaway province and insists on reunification, by force if necessary.
Historically, Taiwan has been ruled by various foreign powers, including the Dutch, Spanish, Qing dynasty China, and Japan, before becoming self-governing in the late 20th century.