Large-scale Chinese military exercises around Taiwan continued today, and according to the Ministry of Defense in Taipei, 130 flights of Chinese military aircraft were registered around the island from yesterday to this morning, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
According to Taiwanese government data, this is the second largest number for such a period. In October 2024, during the exercises "Joint Sword 2024-B" (Joint Sword 2024 B), a record 153 flights were recorded.
Taiwan also intercepted 14 Chinese warships, eight other vessels and one stratostat (a balloon flying in the upper atmosphere).
The Ministry of Defense in Taipei said that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China conducted live-fire exercises targeting the northern zone today, with the shelling recorded near the adjacent zone (24 nautical miles or 44.4 kilometers from the coast) of Taiwan.
Taiwan's armed forces monitored and responded using joint forces and fire systems, Taipei said.
Defense Minister Wellington Koo said that the "highly provocative and reckless actions" of the People's Liberation Army of China not only seriously undermine regional peace and stability, but also pose a significant safety risk and disrupt shipping, trade and air routes.
Taiwanese President William Lai said that "China's recent and frequent escalation of military pressure is in no way the behavior of a responsible major power".
"Protecting peace in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region is a common expectation of the international community and a commitment that Taiwan upholds as a responsible regional stakeholder", Lai wrote on social media. "We will act responsibly - without escalating the conflict and without provoking disputes", the Taiwanese president stressed.
Yesterday, China began large-scale military exercises around Taiwan under the code name "Just Mission 2025". The maneuvers are taking place in the sea areas and airspace around Taiwan and are the first Chinese military exercises near the self-ruled island since April.
According to Chinese state media, the emphasis is on combat-ready patrols, achieving comprehensive superiority and blocking key ports and areas. Chinese forces conduct almost daily exercises with warships and military aircraft in the region. Beijing considers Taiwan, which has been democratically ruled for decades, part of its territory and seeks to bring the island under its control. Taiwan rejects China's claims to sovereignty over it, saying only its people can decide the island's future, DPA noted.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman told the "Ex" platform that the military exercises "are a punitive and deterrent measure against separatist forces seeking "Taiwan independence" "by strengthening defense capabilities, and a necessary step to safeguard China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity." "The Taiwan issue is at the core of China's core interests," he stressed.
"Nothing will stop China from safeguarding its national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity. Anyone who crosses the border or makes provocations on this issue will face a strong response from China." "All attempts to prevent China's reunification will inevitably fail," the spokesman wrote.
Earlier today, China launched the 10-hour live-fire drills announced yesterday, the second day of Beijing's military maneuvers around the island, aimed at quickly cutting off access to external support in the event of conflict, Reuters notes.
The People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theater Command said the drills would be held until 6 p.m. local time (12:00 Bulgarian time) in the sea and airspace at five locations around the island, demonstrating the Chinese military's determination to "fight separatism and promote unification without hesitation."
The military exercises began 11 days after the United States announced a record shipment of weapons worth $11.1 billion to Taiwan, which has drawn the ire of the Chinese Defense Ministry and warnings that the military will "take firm measures" in response.
The exercises are aimed at practicing a quick encirclement of the island to destroy its weapons stockpiles and disrupt efforts to supply Taiwan from Japan or nearby U.S. bases, analysts say.