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Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) has said that nine sorties of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, nine People's Liberation Army Naval (PLAN) vessels and one official ship were detected operating around Taiwan until 6 am (local time) on Wednesday.
According to Taiwan's MND, three out of nine sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ). In response to Chinese military activity, Taiwan's armed forces deployed aircraft, naval ships, and coastal missile systems to monitor the situation. "9 sorties of PLA aircraft, 9 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 3 out of 9 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded," Taiwan MND posted on X. https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1919920115799191771 The latest incident follows China's recent pattern of escalated manoeuvres around Taiwan, sparking concerns over regional stability. Since 1949, Taiwan has been governed independently. However, China considers Taiwan part of its territory and insists on eventual reunification, by force if necessary. Meanwhile, Taiwan is considering stricter controls on legislators' and elected officials' travel to China, potentially requiring prior approval to prevent Beijing's infiltration efforts, a national security official said on Saturday, Taipei Times reported. The move comes amid growing concerns over the exposure of sensitive information through unofficial or undocumented exchanges during such visits. Earlier in March, Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te unveiled a package of 17 countermeasures targeting Chinese infiltration, with a focus on ensuring transparency in the travel of civil servants to China. The measures aim to make officials publicly accountable for their cross-strait movements and limit opportunities for covert influence operations. According to the official, the government is considering amending the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and Mainland Area to standardise travel regulations across all levels of public service. The proposed changes would apply to military personnel, civil servants, borough wardens, elected officials, and lawmakers, reported Taipei Times. "As these people exercise public authority, they are prime targets of Chinese infiltration, and their trips to China should be open and transparent," the official said. "The Legislative Yuan is a national security loophole," they said, pointing out that lawmakers currently are not obligated to seek approval for China trips despite having access to sensitive national information. Moreover, the legislature does not disclose which of its members handle classified data, unlike other government agencies that follow strict security reporting protocols. (ANI)
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