China flies 103 military planes toward Taiwan in a new high in activity

19/9/2023 6:02

        China’s military sent 103 warplanes toward Taiwan in a 24-hour period in what the island’s defense ministry called a recent new high.
        
        The planes were detected between 6 a.m. on Sunday and 6 a.m. on Monday, the ministry said.
        
        As is customary, they turned back before reaching Taiwan.
        
        Chinese warplanes fly toward the self-governing island on a near-daily basis but typically in smaller numbers.
        
        The Taiwan ministry didn't explain what time period it meant by a "recent" high.
        
        China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, has conducted increasingly large military drills in the air and waters around Taiwan as tensions have grown between the two and with the United States.
        
        The U.S. is Taiwan’s main supplier of arms and opposes any attempt to change Taiwan’s status by force.
        
        The Chinese government would prefer that Taiwan come under its control voluntarily and last week unveiled a plan for an integrated development demonstration zone in Fujian province, trying to entice Taiwanese even as it threatens the island militarily in what experts say is China’s long-running carrot and stick approach</a>.