Taiwan’s Defense Ministry sounded the alarm on Monday about a record 103 fighter jets of all typesPeople’s Liberation Army (EPL) She warned that “such unilateral and destructive activities would only exacerbate cross-strait tensions and destabilize security in the region.” One more time there is a threat of military conflict over Taiwan, and shocks, such as the spectacular increase in the presence of Chinese fighter jets near the self-governing island or military maneuvers in its surroundings, usually trigger waves of fear.
Chinese military forces are deployed in the region almost daily, but this time the number was comparatively high as there were more than a hundred aircraft. From them, Forty crossed the de facto dividing line in the Taiwan Strait or they penetrated the island’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) from the southwest and southeast. These departures were counted ten Su-30, twelve J-10, four J-11 and ten J-16 fightersas well as two Y-20 aerial refueling aircraft and two KJ-500 early warning aircraftsaid the Taiwanese ministry, adding that nine People’s Liberation Army (PLA) warships were also spotted near the territory. In response to the numerous overflights, the Taiwan Air Force established four flight restrictions on the east side of the median line in accordance with the Taipei Regulations, which define strongholds and vital zones.
Since then-Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Beijing has intensified military operations around Taiwan Nancy Pelosi, visited the island in August last year. He Communist Partywhich has vowed to bring this breakaway province of 24 million people under its control by force if necessary, viewed Pelosi’s trip as a violation of its sovereignty and a violation of U.S. policy. Washington one of China. Like the trip of this American official, Beijing considered the Taiwanese president’s transit through the United States and her meeting in California with the President of the American House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy This constituted another serious violation of its sovereignty, prompting the PLA to conduct a series of large-scale live-fire exercises to warn Washington and intimidate the island.
And the Asian giant reacts sensitively when delegations from other countries visit the country or promise their support. Exactly this Monday, the French senator Olivier Cadic arrived in the Taiwanese capital to meet with senior officials over the next four days. It should be noted that Olivier Cadic is a member of a group of international parliamentarians Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC)which has long criticized human rights abuses by the Chinese government and supported Taiwan’s participation in various international forums.
On the other hand, Chinese authorities recently announced that they have decided to impose sanctions on two US-based military industrial companies: Northrop Grumman Corp. already a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corp., due to his involvement in US arms sales to Taiwan. This is the latest example of Beijing symbolically expressing its dissatisfaction with American support for the island.
However, Taipei reported a spike in attacks by Chinese warplanes and ships last week following a statement by the Communist Party Its troops were on “high alert” after two U.S. and Canadian ships passed through the Taiwan Strait this month. According to the Taiwanese Defense Ministry, 68 Chinese aircraft and 10 warships were discovered around the island between last Wednesday and Thursday alone.
Chinese aircraft carrier
Some of these aircraft and warships were en route to an unspecified area in the Western Pacific to “conduct joint sea and air exercises.” Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong. It is one of two operational aircraft carriers in the Chinese fleet and was spotted last week sailing about 60 nautical miles (110 kilometers) southeast of Taiwan toward Taiwan Western Pacificaccording to Taipei authorities.
And to make matters worse, the Japanese Ministry of Defense announced last week that sThe Navy had spotted six ships – including frigates, destroyers, a fast combat support ship and the Shandong – traveling through waters about 400 miles (650 kilometers) away. south of Miyakojima Island, east of Taiwan.
Although tensions are rising across the Taiwan Strait, some analysts suggest this A direct Chinese military attack on Taiwanese territory is unlikely as the potential costs of such an operation continue to outweigh the benefits for the Chinese leadership. Risk factors that could trigger Chinese military escalation include any perceived moves toward a Taiwanese declaration of independence or the formalization of U.S.-Taiwan relations. Furthermore, there is a risk that further Chinese incursions into territory claimed by Taiwan could lead to an accidental clash that would be difficult to defuse.
In short, until now China’s strategy continues to be to increase strategic and economic pressure on Taiwan to force unification negotiations, but on their terms. Since the conditions for this do not yet exist, it is foreseeable that the status quo will be maintained across the strait.