Taiwan monitors 11 Chinese warships, 59 aircraft near island: Ministry

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
10 Apr 2023 07:42
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Taiwan's Defense Ministry claims that 11 Chinese warships and 59 aircraft were detected around the island on Monday.

A pilot is photographed operating an aircraft of the Air Force under PLA during a combat readiness patrol at an undisclosed location in this handout image released on April 8, 2023. (Reuters)

Taiwan's Defense Ministry reported that it had detected 11 Chinese warships and 59 aircraft around the island on Monday.

China's "Eastern Theatre Command continues to conduct military exercises around Taiwan", the Ministry said, adding that as of 10 am local time (0200 GMT) on Monday, 11 ships and 59 jets including fighters and bombers had been monitored.

On its account, China said planes "carrying live ammunition" conducted "simulated strikes" near Taiwan, stressing that "sealing off" Taiwan is simulated in the drills.

"Multiple batches of H-6K fighters carrying live ammunition... carried out multiple waves of simulated strikes on important targets on Taiwan Island," state broadcaster CCTV reported, while the Chinese military's Eastern Theatre Command said the Shandong also "participated in today's exercise."

This is happening as Beijing's war drills entered their third day.

The big picture

China launched Saturday military drills around Taiwan in a stern warning to the Taiwanese government following a meeting between the island's leader and the US House speaker.

Operation United Sharp Sword is set to last for three days, running until Monday, Chinese media reported. It will include rehearsals on an encirclement of the Island off the coast of China, the People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theater Command revealed.

The military drills were swiftly denounced by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen Tsai, who pledged to work with "the US and other like-minded countries" against "continued authoritarian expansionism."

China's drills will see Beijing sending planes, ships, and personnel into "the maritime areas and air space of the Taiwan Strait, off the northern and southern coasts of the island, and to the island's east," Shi Yin, a PLA spokesperson said.

This comes amid a period of tension with China heightened by a meeting between Tsai and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, during a stopover by the Taiwan leader in the United States.

McCarthy was planning on visiting Taipei himself rather than receiving Tsai in California. But the decision to change the plan came to allegedly avoid escalation with China.

Tsai, who was on an official visit to Latin America, made two stopovers in the US during which she met with house speaker McCarthy and other legislators.

The announcement regarding the drills comes a day after Chinese warships patrolled near Taiwan for the second consecutive day.

Announcing that Taiwan remains an "inseparable part" of the country, China also sent a fighter jet and an anti-submarine helicopter which "crossed the island's air defense identification zone (ADIZ)," according to the Defense Ministry in Taipei.