On a recent Saturday, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) reported the detection of nine Chinese military aircraft and five naval vessels operating around Taiwan. Of these, six aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, entering Taiwan's northern, southwestern, and southeastern Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ).
In response, Taiwan deployed aircraft, naval ships, and coastal-based missile systems to monitor the situation. The MND shared on social media, "9 PLA aircraft and 5 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 6 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, southwestern and southeastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly."
Throughout December, Taiwan has detected 331 Chinese military aircraft and 220 ships. Since September 2020, China has increased its military presence around Taiwan, employing gray zone tactics. These tactics aim to achieve security objectives without direct force.
The ongoing maneuvers have raised concerns about regional stability, as China continues to assert its claims over Taiwan. The Taiwan-China issue is a complex geopolitical conflict, with China viewing Taiwan as a breakaway province under the "One China" policy, while Taiwan maintains its independence.
On December 12, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte criticized China's actions towards Taiwan, highlighting China's military and technological advancements and their potential global security implications. He stated, "China is bullying Taiwan, and pursuing access to critical infrastructure in ways that could cripple societies."
Taiwan is an island located in East Asia, near China. It has its own government and operates like an independent country, but China claims it as part of its territory.
This refers to actions taken by China's armed forces, such as flying aircraft or sailing ships near Taiwan, which can be seen as threatening or aggressive.
The Taiwan Strait is the body of water between Taiwan and China. The median line is an unofficial boundary that both sides usually avoid crossing to prevent conflict.
These are actions by a country that are aggressive but not openly warlike, like sending military ships or planes near another country's territory to intimidate them.
NATO stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a group of countries in Europe and North America that work together for mutual defense and security.
Mark Rutte is a politician from the Netherlands, a country in Europe. He is known for his role in international politics and has spoken about global security issues.
This means the potential effects that actions in one part of the world, like China's military activities near Taiwan, could have on the safety and stability of other countries around the world.
This is a long-standing disagreement between Taiwan and China, where China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, but Taiwan operates as an independent country.
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