Taiwan has mobilized its air force and navy in response to China's activities near the island
Taiwan has deployed naval forces and fighter jets to monitor yet another Chinese "readiness patrol" near the island.
This was reported by Reuters.
According to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense, 21 Chinese military aircraft, including J-16 fighter jets and drones, were detected on May 25. They operated in conjunction with Chinese Navy ships as part of the declared “combat readiness patrol” around the island.
In response, Taiwan scrambled its own aircraft and dispatched ships to monitor and control the situation.
Joseph Wu, Secretary-General of Taiwan’s National Security Council, sharply criticized Beijing’s actions, calling them “unjustified.”
“The PRC is the sole source of instability in the Indo-Pacific region,” he stated.
According to Wu, as early as May 23, China deployed over 100 ships along the first island chain, which stretches from Japan to Taiwan and the Philippines. The Taiwanese side claims that these forces remain in position and continue to exert pressure on the region.
Similar actions by China have been recorded before—notably on May 19, on the eve of the second anniversary of William Lai’s tenure as Taiwan’s president. Beijing calls him a “separatist” and refuses to engage in dialogue with his administration.
Amid rising tensions in the region, the U.S. has also expressed concern. According to U.S. media reports, Donald Trump’s advisers are discussing the risks of a possible military scenario involving China, which is estimated to be capable of taking military action against Taiwan within the next five years.
For the second day in a row, a tense standoff has been ongoing between Taiwanese and Chinese coast guard forces near the strategically important Pratas Islands in the South China Sea.
Beijing has criticized Germany after a group of German lawmakers visited Taiwan. China stated that such trips are politically sensitive and could affect bilateral relations between the countries.
