China has sent dozens of its warplanes including fighter jets towards Taiwan says the island’s defence ministry

On Saturday (July 22), Taiwan’s defense ministry reported that China had dispatched numerous warplanes, including fighter jets, towards Taiwan. This action took place ahead of Taiwan’s annual Han Kuang exercise, during which the island’s forces will conduct combat readiness drills to prevent potential invasion.

The Taiwanese defense ministry stated that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army had sent 37 aircraft and seven navy vessels to areas around Taiwan between Friday 6:00 am and Saturday 6:00 am (local time). Among the warplanes were J-10 and J-16 fighters and H-6 bombers. Approximately 22 of the nearly 40 warplanes crossed the unofficial midline of the Taiwan Strait, which serves as a boundary between Taiwan and the mainland, or entered the island’s defense identification zone near its southern region.

China’s decision to deploy ships and warplanes near Taiwan, a democratically governed island, coincides with Taiwan’s Han Kuang exercise aimed at defending against potential invasion threats. Additionally, it follows Taiwan’s recently concluded Wan’an exercises, focused on preparing civilians for natural disasters and conducting evacuations in case of an air raid.

Taiwanese government strongly disputes China’s repeated claims of Taiwan as its own territory, asserting that the island’s future should be determined solely by its 23 million people. In response to heightened military activities by China near the island, Taiwan has expressed its displeasure at such actions and political activities in Taiwan.

Earlier this year, China conducted military drills in the Taiwan Strait over three days, which were announced shortly after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen returned from her visit to the United States and met with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and other lawmakers. Following the drills, the Chinese military released a simulation video demonstrating a full-scale attack against Taiwan, showing trajectory missiles landing on the island and its surrounding waters. The video also illustrated a coordinated attack by Chinese forces, including military aircraft and navy vessels.

Notably, China had previously conducted large-scale drills after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, during which missiles were fired over the island, leading to disruptions in trade in the Taiwan Strait and necessitating flight rerouting for aircraft.