Taipei, Apr 3: Taiwan recorded heightened Chinese military activity around its territory, with over 70 aircraft, 15 vessels and 4 ships detected operating around the island as shared by Taiwan’s Ministry of Defence (MND). As per the MND, 76 aircraft, 15 naval vessels and 4 official ships were detected.Of these, 37 sorties crossed the median line and entered into Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern, and eastern Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ).
The Defence Ministry said that it has monitored the situation and responded. “76 PLA aircraft, 15 PLAN vessels and 4 official ships operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today.
37 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern, and eastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded”, MND wrote on X.
During a press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday that the US reiterates its stance of opposing any unilateral attempts to change the status quo of the Taiwan Strait by force or coercion.
She made the remarks when she was asked to respond to the Chinese military drills around Taiwan.
Leavitt said, “As a matter of fact, the National Security Council briefed me on this, this morning, and they said that the President is emphasizing the importance of maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait, encouraging the peaceful resolution of these cross-strait issues, reiterating our opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion. That is directly from the National Security”.
Her remarks came after China’s military on Tuesday, said it began joint exercises involving its army, navy, air force, and rocket force around Taiwan as a “stern warning,” CNN reported.
In a post on X, Taiwan’s Ministry of Defence condemned China’s drills, calling it irrational activity that undermined regional peace.