Taipei, June 14 (ANI): Taiwan detected the presence of a sortie of Chinese military aircraft, five naval vessels, and two official ships operating around its territorial waters as of 6 a.m. (local time) on Sunday, according to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND).
MND Monitoring and Response
The MND stated that they monitored the situation and responded accordingly. In a post on X, the ministry said, "1 sortie of PLA aircraft, 5 PLAN vessels, and 2 official ships operating around Taiwan detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and responded."
Previous Day's Activity
On Saturday, the MND detected six sorties of Chinese military aircraft, eight naval vessels, and two official ships around Taiwan. Of these, four entered Taiwan's southwestern part of the Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ). The MND reported, "6 sorties of PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN vessels, and 2 official ships operating around Taiwan detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 4 out of 6 sorties entered Taiwan's southwestern part ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and responded."
Background: Submarine Trials
Earlier in June, Taiwan's first domestically built submarine departed from the Port of Kaohsiung for its latest round of sea trials, including dive tests. According to Focus Taiwan, citing the Military News Agency, this marked the submarine's 15th sea trial overall and its ninth submerged-navigation test. This development occurs amid China's increasing military activity around Taiwan.
China's Claims and Taiwan's Status
China's claim over Taiwan is rooted in historical, political, and legal arguments, with Beijing asserting that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China. This view is embedded in national policy and upheld by domestic laws and international statements. Taiwan, however, maintains a distinct identity, functioning independently with its own government, military, and economy. The status of Taiwan remains a significant point of international debate, testing principles of sovereignty, self-determination, and non-interference in international law, as per the United Service Institution of India. China's claim originates from the Qing Dynasty's annexation of the island in 1683 after defeating Ming loyalist Koxinga.
