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Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) on Tuesday reported continued Chinese military activity around the island, with two Chinese aircraft and five PLAN vessels detected up until 6 am (local time).
In a post on X, the ministry said, "2 sorties of PLA aircraft and 5 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 am (UTC+8) today. 2 out of 2 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's southwestern ADIZ. #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and responded." https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1985512324531114091 The median line in the Taiwan Strait serves as an unofficial boundary between Taiwan and China, but Beijing has increasingly violated it in recent years as part of its pressure campaign against Taipei. A day earlier, on Monday, the MND reported that six PLA aircraft and five PLAN vessels were operating around Taiwan until 6 a.m. local time. "6 sorties of PLA aircraft and 5 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 am (UTC+8) today. 1 out of 6 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern ADIZ. #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and responded," the ministry said. The latest military movements come amid heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait, as Beijing continues to conduct near-daily operations around the self-ruled island. Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump warned China against any military aggression toward Taiwan, saying Beijing "knows the consequences" of such an action. In an interview with CBS after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said, "You'll find out if it happens, and he understands the answer to that. This never even came up yesterday as a subject... he understands it very well." Trump declined to reveal his strategy on a potential Taiwan conflict and insisted China "understands what will happen" if it attempts any aggression. He added, "I can't give away my secrets. I don't want to be one of these guys who tells you exactly what's going to happen if something happens. The other side knows, but I'm not somebody that tells you everything because you're asking me a question, but they understand what's going to happen." Trump said Chinese officials avoided acting against Taiwan during his presidency claiming they knew the "consequences." Trump further stated, "He has openly said, and his people have openly said at meetings, we would never do anything while President Trump is president because they know the consequences." Over recent years, China has intensified its coercive tactics, conducting extensive military drills, sending warplanes near Taiwan's airspace almost daily, and heightening fears of a possible conflict in the Taiwan Strait, as highlighted by The Epoch Times. US intelligence assessments indicate that Xi Jinping has directed the Chinese military to prepare for a potential invasion by 2027. (ANI)
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