Twenty-one Chinese military planes have been detected around the island of Taiwan since 8:15 a.m. local time (2:15 a.m. in Paris), the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense announced on Saturday April 20, a month before the inauguration of President-elect Lai Ching-te.
“Seventeen planes (of the twenty-one) crossed the median line” of the Taiwan Strait, the ministry said in a statement, an unofficial demarcation between China and Taiwan that the former does not recognize.
Taiwan’s armed forces “observe these activities using surveillance systems and have deployed appropriate means to respond accordingly.”
“Grey zone” strategy
Taiwan is an autonomous island that Beijing claims as part of its territory and which it wants to seize one day, by force if necessary.
The increase in incursions by Chinese aircraft is part of what experts call the “gray zone” strategy, that is to say actions of intimidation which do not go as far as acts of war against strictly speaking.
These actions have intensified, a red line for Beijing. Ms. Tsai must give way on May 20 to the current vice-president, Lai Ching-te, a member of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) like her. Winner of the presidential election of January 13, he is also in favor of a firm line against Beijing.