A day after the end of the Chinese military maneuvers off Taiwan, according to information from Taipei, Chinese warships and aircraft were still active in the region. Beijing “organized military aircraft this morning and crossed the median line from the north, center and south,” Taiwan’s defense ministry said on Tuesday, citing the unofficial border dividing the strait between Taiwan and mainland China.
According to the information, the ministry identified nine warships and 26 aircraft around the island around 11:00 a.m. (5:00 a.m. CEST). Beijing declared its three-day maneuvers off Taiwan over on Monday. According to Chinese information, the military exercises included the sealing off of the island and attacks on “key targets” located there. According to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, several dozen military aircraft were in action off Taiwan.
The Defense Ministry in Taipei said it sighted 12 Chinese warships and 91 military aircraft off the island on Monday. According to Taipei, the aircraft included fighter jets and bombers.
The Chinese maneuver follows a meeting between Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last week. After the meeting near Los Angeles, Beijing had announced “determined and energetic measures”.
Since the split between China and Taiwan in 1949, Beijing has viewed the island as a breakaway territory that it wants to reunite with the mainland – if necessary using military force.