(IntegrityPress.org) – Taiwan has called on China to quell its “destructive” tendencies as military exercises and drills around the island have recently increased tenfold.
China, which regards Taiwan as its own territory, has been conducting regular military exercises near the island constantly for the past year to assert itself as a threat and keep tensions high.
Taiwan’s defense ministry reported the detection of more than 100 Chinese military aircraft over the sea since Sunday, September 17, which it deemed a new “high”. These aircraft were observed all day on Sunday and early into Monday.
The ministry’s report illustrated instances of Chinese fighter jets crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait, a de facto boundary between the two sides that had been unofficially respected until China began routinely crossing it a year ago. Also, more Chinese aircraft flew through the Bashi Channel, which is south of the country and separates Taiwan from the Philippines.
Describing these Chinese military actions as “harassment,” Taiwan’s defense ministry cautioned that they could escalate into war. The ministry issued a statement urging Chinese authorities to assume responsibility and immediately halt such destructive military activities.
The ministry further asserted that China’s recent activities had presented “serious challenges” to regional security, emphasizing that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait were the collective responsibilities of all regional stakeholders.
Last week, China introduced an initiative to forge “new paths” with Taiwan, including proposals to facilitate easier living, studying, and working arrangements for Taiwanese individuals in China. It also sent an unusually large number of warships directly off of Taiwan’s eastern coast, showing a sign that even if they espouse peaceful tendencies, they still are very much a threat.
Tensions between the US and China are also heightened because of the recent military provocations. As China cozies up to Russia, it remains to be seen if China will flat-out attempt to seize Taiwan as the provocations increase.
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