Taiwan’s defense ministry reported that in just 24 hours, it detected 53 Chinese military planes flying around the island. This comes after Taiwan noticed a lot of Chinese military activity nearby, starting on Monday.
Why Is Taiwan Concerned?
Taiwan has been on high alert because of a big increase in Chinese military presence near the island. In fact, the current military activity from China is the largest seen since 1996, before Taiwan’s presidential election.
China sees Taiwan as part of its land, but Taiwan doesn’t agree with this. After Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te visited several countries last week, including Hawaii and Guam, China’s military activity increased.
China’s Plans and Taiwan’s Worries
Although China hasn’t announced any live drills yet, Taiwan is still worried. Taiwan’s intelligence officers say there have been more Chinese planes in the north of Taiwan, and China has around 90 ships near Taiwan, which is considered a big threat.
Taiwan is also worried about China’s military in the First Island Chain, which includes areas around Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines. China wants to make sure no foreign countries can get involved in its plans in the area.
What Does This Mean for Taiwan?
Taiwan’s officials are closely watching China’s movements because they believe China’s military activities could become dangerous for Taiwan and other countries in the region.
