Taiwan Says 14 Chinese Aircraft, 4 Vessels Detected Near Island

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd February, 2023) The Taiwanese National Defense Ministry said on Friday it had detected 14 aircraft and four navy vessels of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) near the island over the past 24 hours.

"14 PLA aircraft and 4 PLAN vessels around Taiwan were detected by 6 a.m. (UTC+8) (14:00 GMT) today," the ministry wrote on Twitter.

Five of the detected aircraft, which crossed the so-called median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered the island's air defense zone, were identified as a Su-30 fighter, two Shenyang J-16 fighters and two J-11s.

The Taiwanese ministry added it was monitoring the situation. It also ordered a combat air patrol plane, military ships and land-based missile systems to "respond these activities.

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Tensions between mainland China on the one hand, and Taiwan and countries boosting cooperation with the island on the other hand, escalated after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island in early August. Beijing condemned Pelosi's trip, which it regarded as a gesture of support for separatism, and held large-scale military exercises in the vicinity of the island.

Taiwan has been governed independently from mainland China since 1949. Beijing views the island as its province, while Taiwan � a territory with its own elected government � maintains that it is an autonomous country but stops short of declaring independence. Beijing opposes any official contacts of foreign states with Taipei and considers Chinese sovereignty over the island indisputable.