11 warships, 30 fighter jets: China is flexing its muscles around Taiwan

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According to Taiwanese information, eleven Chinese naval vessels have been spotted around Taiwan. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said China also sent 15 fighter jets into the airspace around the island in the 24 hours to early Wednesday morning. Since then, fifteen more fighter planes have been spotted.

Since the political break between the two in 1949, China has regarded democratically governed and self-governing Taiwan as a breakaway territory that it wants to reunite with the mainland – through military force if necessary.

Chinese speedboat in Taiwanese waters

Relations between Beijing and Taiwan are currently particularly tense, with the Chinese government classifying the winner of Taiwan’s presidential elections in January, Lai Ching-te (64), as a ‘separatist’.

Taiwan and China are also feuding over an incident that took place in mid-February when, according to Taiwanese information, a Chinese speedboat with four passengers on board entered Taiwanese waters illegally. During a subsequent pursuit by the Taiwanese Coast Guard, the boat capsized not far from the Kinmen Islands and all four passengers fell into the water. They were rescued and taken to a hospital, where two of them were pronounced dead after failed resuscitation attempts.

According to media reports, a survivor stated that the boat had been “rammed” – according to Taiwanese information, the coast guard acted legally. The Beijing government called it a “malicious incident” and announced increased patrols in the waters around Taiwan. (AFP)

Source: Blick