DEFENSE/50 Chinese warplanes, naval vessels detected near Taiwan

Taipei, Dec. 12 (CNA) A total of 34 People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft and 16 PLA naval vessels were detected in the vicinity of Taiwan, including 22 warplanes that crossed the Taiwan Strait median line, during the 24-hour period from 6 a.m. Wednesday, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said Thursday.

The 22 warplanes were observed flying into Taiwan's northern, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zone (ADIZ), the MND flight map showed.

An ADIZ is a self-declared area where a country claims the right to identify, locate and control approaching foreign aircraft but is not part of its territorial airspace as defined by international law.

Fighter jets, drones, and helicopters were among the 22 aircraft that crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's ADIZ in the 24-hour period Wednesday to Thursday, according to the MND.

Taiwan's armed forces have been monitoring the situation with the use of aircraft, naval vessels and coastal missile systems, the ministry said.

China's latest military activity in the area followed the identification of 100 PLA aircraft operating around Taiwan in a 48-hour period starting at 6 a.m. Monday, according to the MND.

Forty-seven PLA aircraft were detected between 6 a.m. Monday and 6 a.m. Tuesday, and 53 from 6 a.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday, the ministry said.

On Monday, China designated until Wednesday seven areas east of Zhejiang and Fujian provinces as "temporary reserved areas" of airspace, which typically indicate airspace reserved for specific military activities.

Foreign wire reports have speculated that the increasing PLA activities could mean another round of military exercises in response to President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) trip to the South Pacific Nov. 30-Dec. 6, which included stopovers in Hawaii and United States territory of Guam.

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

Kuo said China should not use routine international exchanges as an excuse to launch "provocative" action, and she called on Beijing to desist.

China's behavior "blatantly jeopardizes the Indo-Pacific region's security and stability and destabilizes global peace," she said.