Reversal News Desk,
China has deployed a large number of ships around the self-ruled territory of Taiwan, a move that is on a larger scale than the military exercises it conducted in the area in 2022.
The 2022 military exercises are considered China’s largest war games to date.
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry spokesman Sun Li-fang said the number of Chinese warships, coast guard vessels and other vessels deployed around the so-called First Island Chain, which connects Okinawa, Taiwan and the Philippines, has exceeded 2022. Beijing carried out the exercises in response to a visit to Taipei by then-Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi that year.
A senior Taiwanese security official told AFP on Tuesday that about 90 Chinese navy and coast guard ships were now in the East China Sea, Taiwan Strait and South China Sea.
Taiwan’s defence ministry had earlier said it had detected 47 Chinese warplanes and 12 warships around the island in the 24 hours before 6am.
However, the number of Chinese warplanes seen in the area this week is not the same as in 2022. The tension arose in 2022 over a visit to Taipei by then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. At that time, Beijing was conducting large-scale military exercises around Taiwan.
This was the first time that China had conducted such a drill so close to Taiwan. Some of the drills were conducted less than 20 kilometers from the Taiwanese coast.
China also fired ballistic missiles during the drills. Washington condemned Beijing’s move at the time.
Taiwan claims to be a sovereign country. However, China claims that the territory is part of its territory. Beijing has not ruled out the use of force to bring self-governing Taiwan under its control.
