TAIPEI, Feb 5: Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) reported detecting 12 sorties of Chinese military aircraft and seven naval vessels operating near its territorial waters as of 6 am local time on Thursday.
Of the 12 sorties, 11 crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern and southwestern Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), the MND said in a post on X. “We have monitored the situation and responded,” the ministry added.
Earlier on Wednesday, Taiwan recorded 13 Chinese sorties and six naval vessels in the vicinity, with 11 aircraft crossing the median line into its northern and southwestern ADIZ.
The increased Chinese military activity comes amid broader geopolitical tensions. On Wednesday, the United States hosted a meeting with several nations on critical minerals, a move seen as an effort to counter China’s influence in the sector.
Separately, US President Donald Trump spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping, confirming his planned visit to China in April. In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the call as “long and thorough,” discussing trade, military issues, Taiwan, the Russia-Ukraine war, Iran, energy purchases, and agricultural exports. Trump characterized his relationship with Xi as “extremely good” and expressed optimism for future US-China relations during his presidency. (UNI)
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