Taipei [Taiwan], March 10 (ANI): Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced on Tuesday that it had detected six Chinese naval vessels operating around its territorial waters as of 6:00 a.m. local time. The MND stated that it responded accordingly to the situation.
In a post on social media platform X, the MND said, '6 PLAN vessel operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and responded. No flight path illustration is provided, as we did not detect PLA aircraft operating around Taiwan during this timeframe.'
This detection follows a similar incident on Monday, when Taiwan reported eight Chinese naval vessels in its vicinity. The MND also noted that no Chinese aircraft were detected during that timeframe.
Context of China's Claim Over Taiwan
China's claim over Taiwan is rooted in historical, political, and legal arguments. Beijing maintains that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China, a stance embedded in national policy and supported by domestic laws and international statements. Taiwan, however, operates independently with its own government, military, and economy, though it has avoided declaring formal independence to prevent conflict with China.
According to the United Service Institution of India, China's claim originates from the Qing Dynasty's annexation of Taiwan in 1683. However, Taiwan was ceded to Japan in 1895 after the First Sino-Japanese War and remained a Japanese colony until 1945. After World War II, Taiwan was returned to Chinese control, but the sovereignty transfer was not formalized.
In 1949, the Chinese Civil War led to the establishment of the People's Republic of China (PRC) on the mainland, while the Republic of China (ROC) retreated to Taiwan. Both entities claim to govern all of China, leading to dual sovereignty claims. Taiwan has since functioned as a de facto independent state, but its status remains a contentious issue in international relations.
