Taiwan's defense ministry said on Wednesday that China had carried out another "joint patrol for combat readiness" near the island, reports "Reuters".
China has made no secret of its distaste for President Lai Ching-te, whom it considers a "separatist," and has held two days of military exercises since he took office last month., after he took office last month.
Last week, China threatened to execute Taiwan independence separatists in extreme cases, further raising tensions and drawing condemnation from Lai and his government as well as the United States.
Taiwan's defense ministry said it had detected 26 Chinese military aircraft, including J-16 fighter jets, operating in northern, central and southern Taiwan as of 7 a.m. Wednesday, conducting a "joint combat readiness patrol." ; along with numerous (5-10) Chinese warships stationed around the island.
Taiwan frequently reports such missions, which the country describes as Chinese harassment that has escalated over the past four years.
Speaking at a regular briefing in Beijing, a spokesman for China's Taiwan Affairs Office said the government has the legal right to protect the country's territorial integrity, defending new guidelines last week to punish what Beijing sees as separatism.< /p>
"National law enforcement and judicial authorities will prosecute all Taiwan independence supporters who test the law to the end, no matter where they are."
China will impose "precise penalties," but the measures do not affect the majority of Taiwanese, she added.
"The state punishes the crimes of secession and incitement to secession by supporters of "Taiwan independence" in accordance with the law. There is a solid legal basis and sufficient legal basis for this," Zhu said.
Chinese courts do not have jurisdiction in Taiwan, and it is unclear how China could seek to enforce judgments outside its borders.