Taiwan has reported that China’s military sent 103 warplanes toward the island in a 24-hour period, the highest number for a single day in recent times, according to the island’s defense ministry on Monday.
The warplanes were detected between 6 a.m. on Sunday and 6 a.m. on Monday, and as per usual, they turned back before reaching Taiwan.
China, which considers Taiwan as part of its territory, has been conducting increasingly large military drills in the air and waters around Taiwan, particularly as tensions have escalated between the two countries and with the United States. The US is Taiwan’s main arms supplier and opposes any attempt to change Taiwan’s status through force.
The Taiwanese Defense Ministry stated that 40 of the warplanes crossed the symbolic halfway point between mainland China and Taiwan. It also reported the presence of nine naval vessels in the same 24-hour period.
In response, the ministry described the Chinese military action as “harassment” and warned that it could further escalate in the current tense atmosphere. “We urge the Beijing authorities to bear responsibility and immediately stop such destructive military activities,” the ministry said in a statement.
