(ANSA) – BEIJING, SEPTEMBER 26 – Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense reported having detected 43 Chinese planes and eight warships operating around the island in the 24 hours up to 6 local time (midnight in Italy). On Wednesday, therefore, there was a jump in the Dragon’s military activities on the same day that Beijing tested an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) over the skies of the Pacific for the first time in almost 45 years. A total of 34 tracked aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, the ministry added, assuring that Taipei’s military “monitored the situation and responded accordingly.” Yesterday, a Japanese warship sailed through the Taiwan Strait for the first time claiming its freedom of navigation in those waters, according to local media. There was no immediate confirmation from the Ministry of Defense of the move, which reportedly occurred yesterday, following similar exploits by the US and European navies. Beijing considers Taiwan a rebellious province and claims jurisdiction over the body of water that separates the island from mainland China. But the United States and many other countries argue that such trips are legitimate, citing freedom of navigation. Washington and its allies have recently increased their crossings of the 180-kilometer Taiwan Strait to assert the international nature of the basin, angering Beijing. The Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper, citing unnamed government sources, said Prime Minister Fumio Kishida had ordered the crossing to counter China’s assertiveness. Earlier this month, a Chinese aircraft carrier sailed between two Japanese islands near Taiwan for the first time and Tokyo criticized the incident as “totally unacceptable”, while China said it complied with international law. (HANDLE).
2024-09-26 22:07:27