Even After Xi Jinping's Re-election Confirmed... China Continues Military Pressure Targeting Taiwan

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] Despite the confirmation of Chinese President Xi Jinping's third term in office, the People's Liberation Army of China continues its military pressure on Taiwan.

The Taiwanese military confirmed that from the 1st to the 11th of this month, a total of 247 military aircraft and 38 naval vessels belonging to the People's Liberation Army were detected around Taiwan.

Taiwanese media outlets, including Taiwan News, reported on the 12th, citing the announcement from Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense, that by 5 p.m. the previous day, the Taiwanese military had detected 14 PLA military aircraft and 3 naval vessels in the airspace and waters surrounding Taiwan.

According to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense, among the 14 PLA military aircraft, four H-6 bombers entered the southwestern airspace of Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), and one J-7 fighter jet crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait in northern Taiwan's airspace.

The Taiwanese military immediately scrambled fighter jets, issued warning broadcasts, and activated air defense missile systems to track the aircraft. Previously, on the 10th, the Taiwanese military also detected 26 PLA military aircraft and 4 naval vessels operating around Taiwan.

On the 7th, when news of British Trade Policy Minister Greg Hands' visit to Taiwan was reported, the Taiwanese military detected 63 PLA military aircraft and 4 naval vessels operating around Taiwan.

Since November, the number of PLA military aircraft and naval vessels detected in the airspace and waters around Taiwan has reached 247 and 38, respectively.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, President Xi opened a long-term one-man rule system with his third term through the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, which concluded on October 22, and the 1st Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held on October 23. At the 1st Plenary Session, Xi was re-elected as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and Chairman of the Central Military Commission.

Since May 2016, when Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party took office as Taiwan's president, China has severed official relations with Taiwan and has been applying intense military and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan.

In particular, following U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan in August, China has conducted large-scale live-fire drills and has been sending military aircraft daily across the median line of the Taiwan Strait and into Taiwan's ADIZ.

The median line of the Taiwan Strait is an unofficial boundary declared in 1955 by U.S. Air Force General Benjamin Davis to prevent military clashes between China and Taiwan.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.