China Sends Massive Fleet of Warplanes Towards Taiwan Prior to Military Exercises

China has sent a significant number of warplanes, including fighter jets and bombers, towards Taiwan, according to Taiwan's Defense Ministry. This move comes just days before Taiwan plans to hold military exercises aimed at defending itself against a possible invasion.

The annual Han Kuang exercise will include combat readiness drills to prevent an invasion, as well as the Wan’an exercises to prepare civilians for natural disasters and practice evacuations in the event of an air raid.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) deployed 37 aircraft and seven navy vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Friday and 6 a.m. on Saturday, as confirmed by Taiwan's Defense Ministry. Among the aircraft were J-10 and J-16 fighters, as well as H-6 bombers.

Out of the 37 warplanes detected, 22 crossed the unofficial midline of the Taiwan Strait, which has historically acted as a buffer zone between Taiwan and mainland China. Some of the aircraft even entered Taiwan's air defense identification zone near its southern part.

The tensions between Taiwan and China can be traced back to the split that occurred in 1949 following a civil war, which resulted in the ruling Communist Party gaining control of mainland China while Taiwan remained independent.

However, China maintains its stance that Taiwan must be reunified with the mainland. In recent years, China has increasingly demonstrated its dissatisfaction with political activities in Taiwan by escalating the number of military planes sent towards the island.

This is not the first time that China has conducted such military drills in response to Taiwan's actions. In August, China held large-scale military exercises after former United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. These exercises included firing missiles over the island, causing disruptions to trade lanes and flight routes.

Additionally, in April, the PLA conducted combat readiness drills in the air and sea around Taiwan in response to Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen's meeting with current U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. These recent actions by China serve as a reminder of the ongoing tensions between Beijing and Taipei, and raises concerns about the potential for further escalations.

As such, Taiwan's planned military exercises take on added significance in terms of demonstrating the island's determination to defend itself against possible aggression. The situation will continue to be closely monitored by global observers as tensions between China and Taiwan persist.