Taiwan spots 91 Chinese aircraft as Beijing vows to crush acts of 'separatism'

Taiwan's defence forces detected 91 aircraft and 12 naval ships of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) from the morning of Monday to Tuesday, out of which 54 aircraft surpassed the Taiwan Strait's median line. "91 PLA aircraft and 12 PLAN vessels around Taiwan were detected by 6 a.m.(UTC+8) today. 54 of the detected aircraft had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's southwest and southeast ADIZ," read an excerpt from an official release issued by the Taiwanese Defence Ministry.

"Yesterday, China completed the third day of live-fire drills but still, there are 8 vessels that are operating in the waters surrounding Taiwan," the ministry added. In the wake of the situation, the armed forces of Taiwan were asked to monitor the events as they readied CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to effectively respond in case of an unprecedented activity.

91 PLA aircraft and 12 PLAN vessels around Taiwan were detected by 6 a.m.(UTC+8) today. R.O.C. Armed Forces have monitored the situation and tasked CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond these activities. pic.twitter.com/4OdCJgTGEc

— 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, R.O.C. 🇹🇼 (@MoNDefense)

54 of the detected aircraft had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s southwest and southeast ADIZ. Currently, there are 8 vessels still operating in the waters surrounding Taiwan. We will continue to keep a close watch on the movements.

— 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, R.O.C. 🇹🇼 (@MoNDefense)

China clamps down on Taiwan independence

Meanwhile, China said on Monday that the military exercise "completely tested the integrated joint combat ability of multiple military branches under actual combat conditions". "If we want to protect peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait we must firmly oppose any form of Taiwan independence separatism," foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a press briefing, according to ANI.

Furthermore, Shi Yi, the PLA Eastern Theater Command's spokesperson, asserted that the Chinese military would be prepared at all times to suppress any act of "Taiwan Independence" or interference from other nations. Monday's exercises are a part of China's retaliatory response to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's recent meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on American soil.

On Saturday, Beijing vowed to conduct three-day military drills codenamed “Joint Sharp Sword” near Taiwan. But undeterred by Chinese aggression, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence  said on Twitter that the armed forces "are fighting with all our heart to defend our homeland and to protect our home together".