Military tensions between Taiwan and China are the worst in at least 40 years, Taiwanese defence minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said. He made his statement after about 150 Chinese warplanes were sighted in Taiwan’s air defence zone in a short time.
The first fighter jets were spotted on Friday, the day to celebrate the founding of the People’s Republic of China. A record 380 Chinese warplanes were sighted in the air defence zone last year. There are already more than 600 this year.
Chui warns that even a “little carelessness or miscalculation” could lead to a “crisis” in the Taiwan Strait, the strait between China and Taiwan. The minister also said that China already can invade Taiwan and start a large-scale action by 2025.
Relations were described as “grim” by Chinese President Xi Jinping last week in a letter to Taiwan’s new opposition leader. His regime has stepped up military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan since President Tsai Ing-wen was elected five years ago. She strongly opposes the Chinese claim to the island, which sees itself as an independent country.
Tsai said in an article Tuesday that Taiwan would “do whatever it takes” to protect the island from threats but hope that the Taiwanese could live peacefully alongside China. Earlier, her government called on China to stop the “irresponsible provocative actions” because of the many warplanes.