Taiwan Says 41 Chinese Military Aircraft, Ships Detected Ahead of Lai US Stopover
Taiwan said Friday it detected 41 Chinese military aircraft and ships around the island ahead of a Hawaii stopover by President Lai Ching-te, part of a Pacific tour that has sparked fury in Beijing.
Beijing insists self-ruled Taiwan is part of its territory and opposes any international recognition of the island’s claim to be a sovereign nation.
To press its claims, China deploys fighter jets, drones and warships around Taiwan on a near-daily basis, with the number of sorties increasing in recent years.
In the 24 hours to 6:00 am on Friday (2200 GMT Thursday), Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said it had detected 33 Chinese aircraft and eight navy vessels in its airspace and waters.
That included 19 aircraft that took part in China’s “joint combat readiness patrol” on Thursday evening and was the highest number in more than three weeks, according to an AFP tally of figures released daily by the Ministry.
Taiwan also spotted a balloon – the fourth since Sunday – about 172 kilometers (107 miles) west of the island.
“It can’t be ruled out that there will be a relatively large-scale military exercise in response to Lai’s visit,” Su Tzu-yun, a military expert at Taiwan’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research, told AFP.
‘Old Friends’
Lai, an outspoken defender of Taiwan’s sovereignty, departs Saturday on his first overseas trip since taking office in May.
He will stop briefly in Hawaii and the US territory of Guam to meet “old friends,” as he visits Taiwan’s three remaining allies in the Pacific.
Taiwanese government officials have previously stopped over on US soil during visits to the Pacific or Latin America, angering China, which has sometimes responded with military drills around the island.
China has reacted furiously to Lai’s planned trip, with a spokesperson for the defense ministry vowing Thursday to “resolutely crush” any attempts for Taiwan independence.
Asked whether China’s military would take countermeasures over Lai’s Pacific tour, Wu Qian said: “We firmly oppose official interaction with China’s Taiwan region in any form.”
Lin Ying-yu, a military expert at Tamkang University, said China’s response would be determined by Lai’s statements during the trip.
“China may carry out military exercises, but they may not be large ones. It will depend on what President Lai says,” Lin told AFP, adding the current weather was “not very good” for drills.
Lai’s visit to the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau was aimed at shoring up Taiwan’s dwindling number of diplomatic allies.
Only 12 countries and territories, including the Vatican, have official diplomatic relations with Taiwan after others jumped ship to China, which has deeper pockets for aid and investment.
Analysts said Lai’s trip was a rare opportunity for the president to represent Taiwan abroad and bolster its claim to statehood.
“Even though they look kind of theatrical and performative, (these trips) actually give Taiwan a voice in the international system, they confer legitimacy, they confer the appearance of sovereignty,” said Mark Harrison, a senior lecturer in Chinese studies at the University of Tasmania.
