Taiwan on Wednesday said it had detected the presence of Chinese military aircraft and vessels around its territorial waters early morning around 6 am local time. The Ministry of National Defense (MND) said that it had detected 10 sorties of Chinese military aircraft, 11 vessels, and an official ship operating around its territorial waters. In a post on X, the MND said, "10 sorties of PLA aircraft, 11 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 9 out of 10 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, southwestern and eastern part ADIZ (Air Defense Identification Zone). ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and responded."
Earlier on Tuesday, Taiwan detected 22 sorties of Chinese military aircraft and nine vessels around itself. Of the 22, 20 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern part ADIZ.
China's claim over Taiwan is a complex issue rooted in historical, political, and legal arguments. Beijing states that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China, a viewpoint embedded in national policy and upheld by domestic laws and international statements.
Taiwan, however, maintains a distinct identity, functioning independently with its government, military, and economy. Taiwan's status remains a significant point of international debate, testing the principles of sovereignty, self-determination, and non-interference in international law, as per the United Service Institution of India.
China's claim to Taiwan originates from the Qing Dynasty's annexation of the island in 1683 after defeating Ming loyalist Koxinga.
However, Taiwan remained a peripheral region under limited Qing control. The key shift came in 1895, when the Qing ceded Taiwan to Japan after the First Sino-Japanese War, marking Taiwan as a Japanese colony for 50 years. After Japan's defeat in World War II, Taiwan was returned under Chinese control, but the sovereignty transfer was not formalised.
In 1949, the Chinese Civil War resulted in the establishment of the People's Republic of China (PRC) on the mainland, while the Republic of China (ROC) retreated to Taiwan, asserting its claim to govern all of China. This led to dual sovereignty claims: the PRC over the mainland and the ROC over Taiwan. Taiwan has operated as a de facto independent state but has avoided declaring formal independence to prevent military conflict with the PRC.
Diana George is Associate Editor at Times Now, with over a decade of experience covering national and international news, crime, and local politics. S...View More
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