Taiwan has reported a new incursion by Chinese aircraft despite the completion of its military exercises

He Ministry of Defense of Taiwan denounced this 26 aircraft and nine Chinese warships raided around the island on Tuesday, just one day after the government’s Xi Jinping finish their military maneuvers.

“China mobilized its military aviation this morning and crossed the median line from the north, center and south,” the ministry said, referring to the median line of the Strait of Formosawhich in practice is an unofficial border tacitly respected by both countries in recent decades.

Tensions escalated on Saturday when China launched three days of military exercises around Taiwan that included simulated air strikes and an encirclement against the island.

It was a show of force in response to the meeting between the Taiwanese president, Tsai Ing-wenwith the Leader of the United States House of Representatives, kevin mccarthy.

In this context, Tsai assured on Facebook that as president she represents her country “to the world”, that her visits abroad are not new and that this is what the Taiwanese expect from her.

On Monday, Taiwan took over 12 Chinese warships and 91 aircraft. In addition, 54 aircraft penetrated the Taiwan Air Defense Identification Zone, the largest one-day raid since October 2021.

In return, the same day the United States announced that its Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Milius was “close” to the Spratly Islands, which China disputes with the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei, in a defense exercise of “freedom of navigation in accordance with international law”.

Taiwanese president Tsai condemned China’s military exercises and said the security teams “will continue in their posts and defend the country”.

For its part, the Chinese military said it had “successfully completed” the exercise involving the “seal” of Taiwan, with dozens of aircraft practicing an “air blockade”.

The United States and the Philippines begin their biggest military exercises in decades

THE Armies of the United States and the Philippines started this Tuesday largest joint military exercises in over 30 yearsmaneuvers consolidating their renewed military alliance amid escalating tensions with China in the South Sea and around Taiwan.

The annual drills, dubbed “Balikatan,” will bring together more than 17,000 troops this year (12,000 U.S. and 5,000 Filipino soldiers), nearly double the number in 2022; will include live fire with Patriot missiles and Avengers defense systems for the first time and will run until April 27, as confirmed to the news agency EFE extension a spokesman for the Philippine military.

Last week, the Philippines announced four new military bases in the archipelago to which US troops will have access (bringing the total to nine), one in the northernmost part of the archipelago, about 400 kilometers from Taiwan, while another it is on Balabac Island, close to the islands disputed by Beijing and Manila in the South China Sea.

There, near the Spratly archipelago, the US destroyer USS Milius set sail on Monday, an action China has condemned, saying Beijing has “indisputable sovereignty” over the islands and adjacent waters.

IT​