Taiwan urges China to stop 'provocation' amid increasing military activity

Taipei, Dec. 11 (CNA) Taiwan's government on Wednesday called on China to stop what it termed "proactive behavior," referring to an uptick in Chinese military activity around the country following President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) first overseas trip.

Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) said Lai's recently concluded trip to diplomatic allies was a common practice of all Republic of China (Taiwan) presidents.

Kuo said China should not use routine international exchange as an excuse to launch "provocative" action and called on Beijing to stop.

The spokesperson said China's behavior "blatantly jeopardized the Indo-Pacific region's security and stability and destabilized global peace."

She also assured the Taiwanese public that the nation's armed forces had a grip on the situation and would work to safeguard national security amid the "provocation."

Kuo made the remarks after China designated seven areas off the coast of Zhejiang and Fujian provinces as "temporary reserved areas" of airspace from Monday until Wednesday. This typically indicates that military activities will take place.

Meanwhile, Reuters reported on Monday that a senior Taiwanese security official confirmed China had deployed nearly 90 navy and coast guard ships "near" Taiwan, the southern Japanese islands, and the East and South China Seas, with naval vessels comprising two-thirds of the fleet.

It marked China's largest naval fleet deployment in regional waters for nearly three decades, since Beijing held war games around Taiwan before the country's first presidential election in 1996, the unnamed source told Reuters.

However, the Chinese government has not officially publicized the large-scale deployment of naval troops in the vicinity of Taiwan, nor officially labeled the activity "military exercises" -- in a break from usual practice.