Taiwan detects Chinese military activity near island

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense reported that over the past day, the island’s armed forces detected 47 aircraft and 12 ships from China’s People’s Liberation Army, along with nine vessels from Chinese government agencies, approaching Taiwan.

According to its statement, 16 of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s southwestern air defense identification zone, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The Taiwanese armed forces engaged aviation, ships and coastal missile systems in response, the statement reads.

Taiwan has been governed by its local administration since 1949 when the remaining Kuomintang forces led by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) fled to the island after being defeated in China’s civil war. Since then, Taiwan has preserved the flag and some other symbols of the Republic of China that had existed in mainland China before the Communists came to power. Beijing regards the island as one of its provinces and this position is supported by most countries.

News.Az