Taiwan’s armed forces recorded 59 aircraft of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLA) approaching the island last day. Nine PLA Navy ships were also recorded, the Taiwanese defence ministry said on its X page on Tuesday.
“59 PLA aircraft and nine PLA Navy ships operating around Taiwan were detected until 6 a.m. today. 43 of the 59 aircraft crossed the median line over the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defence zones. During this time, two PRC balloons were detected,” the statement said.
Taiwan’s defence establishment regularly reports the approach of mainland Chinese aircraft and ships but such numbers of aircraft are not often recorded.
The Taiwan issue arose in 1949 when the People’s Republic of China was proclaimed and part of China’s Kuomintang Party settled on the island of Taiwan, naming the island the Republic of China on Taiwan. Beijing insists on the “one China principle,” according to which both the PRC and the Republic of China on Taiwan cannot be recognised at the same time. At the same time, almost all major states have unofficial cultural and economic offices of Taipei.
