Camilla Jessen
China flexes its military muscle as 41 warplanes and 10 naval vessels approach Taiwan.
Tensions in the Taiwan Strait escalated again as Taiwan’s defense ministry reported 41 Chinese warplanes and 10 naval and coast guard ships maneuvering near the island on February 14.
Chinese Jets Cross Unofficial Border
According to Taiwan’s military on X, 28 of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait — the unofficial boundary that has long served as a buffer between Taiwan and mainland China.
The planes entered Taiwan’s northern, central, and southwestern air defense zones but did not violate its airspace, prompting Taiwan’s armed forces to monitor the situation closely rather than take direct action.
Beijing routinely sends military aircraft and warships near Taiwan as part of ongoing efforts to pressure and intimidate the island. These maneuvers often simulate air and naval attacks, blockades, and invasion scenarios, raising concerns in Taipei and among its allies, particularly the United States.
The latest incident follows a pattern of escalating military activities by China around Taiwan.
Beijing considers the island a breakaway province despite the fact that Taiwan has been self-governed since 1949 and has never been under the control of the People’s Republic of China.
The Chinese Communist Party has repeatedly threatened to use military force to bring Taiwan under its rule, intensifying pressure through economic, diplomatic, and military means.
International Concerns Grow
China’s military actions in the Taiwan Strait have drawn international condemnation, with the U.S. and its allies reaffirming their support for Taiwan’s security and democratic government.
Taiwan has called for stronger international cooperation to counter Beijing’s aggression, warning that China’s growing assertiveness could destabilize the region.
Beyond military pressure, Beijing has also been diplomatically isolating Taiwan, most recently by pressuring South Africa’s government to relocate Taiwan’s de facto embassy from its capital, Pretoria, in a further attempt to undermine Taipei’s global standing.