Taiwan-China Tensions: Taiwan said on Sunday that Chinese military aircraft were again flying near the island after a break that lasted more than two weeks. This sudden pause had confused many experts and officials in Taipei because China usually sends its planes around Taiwan almost every day.
Taiwan’s defence ministry said it spotted 26 Chinese military aircraft around the island during the previous 24 hours. Out of these, 16 aircraft flew into Taiwan’s central and southwestern Air Defence Identification Zone. The ministry also reported that seven Chinese naval ships were moving in waters near Taiwan.
Most of the aircraft activity was seen over the Taiwan Strait. The last time Taiwan reported such a large number was on February 25 when it detected 30 Chinese aircraft, reported Reuters. At that time officials said China was carrying out another “joint combat readiness patrol”.
DRDO’s Sigma 4.0: New Camouflage Tech to Hide Indian Army From Drones and Radar
China believes Taiwan belongs to it. The island however has its own government and works as a democracy. Because of this dispute China often sends fighter jets, drones and other military aircraft near Taiwan to show pressure.
Unusual Two-Week Drop in Flights
The recent break in Chinese flights was unusual. Taiwan said that between February 27 and March 5 there were no Chinese aircraft crossing the median line or entering the defence zone. This surprised many observers.
Two aircraft were seen on March 6 but then the next four days again had no sightings. After that small numbers of aircraft started appearing again between Wednesday and Friday.
Such breaks sometimes happen during bad weather or important events in China. This year the pause happened during the annual meeting of China’s legislature. Still analysts said this could not fully explain the drop because it was much longer than normal.
Some experts believe Beijing may have wanted to calm tensions with the United States before a planned visit by U.S. President Donald Trump. The White House said Trump is expected to visit China from March 31 to April 2 though Beijing has not confirmed the trip yet.
Others think the Chinese military could be changing its training style as part of its modernization program. Some officials in Taipei also suggested the pause might be connected to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s purge of senior military generals.
Who Is Mohammad Ali Jafari? The Strategist Behind Iran’s ‘Mosaic Defence’
Strong Words From Beijing
Even during the period when aircraft numbers fell, Chinese warships stayed active near Taiwan. Taiwan’s Defence Minister Wellington Koo said the drop in flights did not change the threat level.
Taiwan’s government also said it would not change its defence posture because China’s navy remained present in nearby waters.
Meanwhile China criticized Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te after he spoke about increasing defence spending and protecting Taiwan’s democracy. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office warned him in strong words.
“People like Lai Ching-te should not miscalculate; if they dare to take reckless risks, they will dig their own grave,” an office spokesperson said in a statement.
China has long said it will take control of Taiwan if necessary. The island and mainland China have been governed separately since 1949 after China’s civil war. The defeated Nationalist forces moved to Taiwan where the island later became a multi-party democracy.
