Taiwan detects two dozen Chinese fighter jets near the island
Taiwanese authorities have detected two dozen Chinese military aircraft in the vicinity of the island since 08:15 local time today (01:15 in Lisbon), the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense announced.
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"Seventeen aircraft [out of a total of 21] crossed the median line" of the Taiwan Strait, the ministry said in a statement, referring to an unofficial demarcation between China and Taiwan that Beijing does not recognize.
Taiwan's armed forces are "observing these activities using surveillance systems and have mobilized appropriate forces to respond accordingly," the ministry added, quoted by French news agency AFP.
Taiwan has been self-ruled since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, but Beijing claims it as part of the People's Republic of China and has vowed to take it back, by force if necessary.
The increased incursions by Chinese aircraft are part of what experts call a "grey zone" strategy, or intimidation tactics that fall short of acts of war.
These actions have intensified since the 2016 election of President Tsai Ing-wen, who views Taiwan as de facto "already independent," a red line for Beijing.
Tsai is due to hand over power on May 20 to current Vice President Lai Ching-te, a member of the same Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) as the outgoing president.
Lai, who won the January 13 presidential election, also favors a tough stance toward Beijing.
The Taiwan issue is a major point of friction between China and the United States, which is Taipei's main arms supplier and has pledged to defend the island in the event of a conflict.
The Republican-led US House of Representatives is due to vote later Tuesday on a bill that would end a ban on funding for Taiwan, Ukraine, and Israel.
Read Also: Taiwanese deputies travel to China to ease tensions (Portuguese version)
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