Your Ministry of Defense Taiwan reported on Thursday that 35 Chinese aircraft were spotted around the island within 24 hours, following multiple airspace violations following the inauguration in Taipei of new President Lai Ching-te.
Seven ships were also sighted in the 24 hours up to 06:00 on Thursday (local time, 22:00 Greek time), according to the ministry.
China has stepped up pressure on Taipei in recent years and held military exercises around the island in May after the inauguration of Lai Ching-te, who Beijing considers a dangerous separatist.
During of military exercises Around Taiwan, Beijing deployed military ships and planes loaded with live ammunition, claiming it was a “severe punishment against separatists”. According to Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense, the Chinese military sent up to 62 military aircraft around Taiwan in one day.
After these maneuvers, Beijing promised that military pressure on the island would continue “as long as challenges related to Taiwan’s independence persist”.
President Lai said on Monday that China has no right to punish Taiwanese citizens. In fact, Beijing added the death penalty to new criminal sanctions against separatists.
With information from Le Figaro