TAIPEI — Taiwan's defense ministry said Saturday it had detected 41 Chinese military aircraft around the island in a 24-hour window, a day after Beijing said "diehard" advocates of Taiwan's independence could face the death penalty. China claims self-ruled democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and has said it would never renounce the use of force to bring it under Beijing's control. On Saturday, Taipei's defense ministry said it had detected 41 Chinese military aircraft and seven naval vessels operating around Taiwan during the 24-hour period leading up to 6:00 am (2200 GMT). "32 of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait," the ministry said in a statement, referring to a line bisecting the 180-kilometre (110-mile) waterway that separates Taiwan from China. On May 25, Taiwan detected 62 Chinese military aircraft around the island in a 24-hour window, the highest single-day total this year, as China staged military drills following the inauguration of Lai, who Beijing regards as a "dangerous separatist".

Source: Philippine Star June 22, 2024 16:53 UTC