As the country’s election campaign got underway, Taiwan once again observed Chinese military activities surrounding the island on Wednesday. Eleven aircraft were seen flying over the narrow middle line of the Taiwan Strait.
Taiwan, a democratically run island that China claims as its own, has complained about frequent military drills and patrols by Beijing in the area over the past four years as Beijing tries to exert pressure on Taipei over its claims to sovereignty.
Candidates must register with the election commission this week to participate in Taiwan’s presidential and legislative elections, which are scheduled for January 13. The opposition is at odds over a possible combined bid, but the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which Beijing sees as separatists, officially filed its presidential ticket on Tuesday.
Taiwan’s defense ministry began to detect J-10 and J-16 fighters, H-6 bombers, and early warning aircraft conducting missions abroad early on Wednesday afternoon.
To conduct “joint combat readiness patrols” with Chinese warships, eleven of those aircraft flew in airspace near the center and southwest of the island, crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait, according to the ministry.
Before China’s regular flights, the median line in the strait acted as an unofficial border between the two sides.
The ministry stated that Taiwan dispatched its military to observe. China’s Ministry of Defense did not answer calls seeking a response. China claims that its actions close to Taiwan are intended to safeguard China’s territorial integrity and to stop “collusion” between Taiwan separatists and the US.
The government of Taiwan, which has made several offers to hold negotiations with China, rejects Beijing’s claims to sovereignty and asserts that the people of the island alone have the right to determine their destiny.
The Kuomintang, the major opposition party in Taiwan, has vowed to reopen talks with China should it win the election and has always supported tight ties with Beijing.
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