On Tuesday, the Defense Ministry of Taiwan issued a warning regarding the potential for a significant escalation in military tensions.

This caution followed reports of renewed military activity by China, which included instances of fighter jets crossing the sensitive median line in the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan, governed democratically and considered by China as its own territory, has expressed concerns for the past three years about heightened military pressure from Beijing, Reuters reported.

Much of this pressure has taken the form of China’s air force conducting flights near the island.

According to the ministry, it observed 12 Chinese military aircraft within its air defense identification zone on Tuesday morning.

Among these, seven aircraft breached the median line. This group consisted of six J-10 fighters along with a solitary drone.

In addition to the airborne activity, the ministry reported that five Chinese ships were engaged in “combat readiness patrols.”

However, specific details about the location of these patrols were not provided by the ministry.

Historically, the median line had functioned as an informal dividing line between the two sides.

This changed approximately a year ago when China’s air force began regularly crossing this line, leading to increased tensions between the two parties.

Written by staff