Taiwan‘s air force has been placed on high alert after 10 Chinese warplanes crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait on Sunday, just days after a similar incident.
The Defense Ministry of Taiwan said it detected 24 Chinese fighter jets and bombers in the air, but only 10 crossed the median line. This marked the second time in days that Chinese forces have pierced the long–standing divide between them and Taiwan.
The movement follows a larger Chinese campaign of aggression toward Taiwan that has included the deployment of four warships for “joint combat readiness patrols“ in the area, as well as the mobilization of forces to simulate an attempted invasion.
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing–wen‘s visit to the United States earlier this year is seen as a primary factor in this heightened aggression. Tsai met with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy during her trip, leading to China‘s largest military operations in the region.
The increasing tensions are further evidenced by the Biden administration‘s policy of “strategic ambiguity“ over whether or not it would intervene militarily in the Taiwan conflict. President Biden has stated multiple times that the U.S. would do so, but White House staff have walked back the statement each time.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has made clear the stakes of war in the region, saying a conflict in the Taiwan Strait would be “devastating“ for the global economy.
“The whole world has a stake in maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” Austin said in a statement. “And so does freedom of navigation worldwide. Make no mistake: conflict in the Taiwan Strait would be devastating.”
For now, Taiwan remains undeterred by the saber–rattling from Beijing, with the armed forces scrambling jet fighters and other resources to defend the island from any possible Chinese aggression.
Taiwan‘s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu has previously stated that the nation‘s defensive capability is up to the task of ensuring its safety from Chinese attack.
“If they make any moves on us, we will fight back resolutely and take full advantage of our defensive capabilities to protect the nation and its people,” Wu said.
Despite the difficult situation posed by a potentially hostile China, Taiwan continues to stand firm in its commitment to independence and a desire for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
