Taipei, May 15 (ANI) — Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) reported that it detected seven People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels and one official Chinese ship operating near Taiwan’s territorial waters on Friday.
In a post on X, the MND said the vessels were observed up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8). The Republic of China (ROC) Armed Forces monitored the activity and took responsive measures. The ministry added that no PLA aircraft were detected during this period, so no flight-path illustration was provided.
The announcement followed a separate report from Thursday in which Taiwan’s MND said it had detected three sorties of PLA aircraft and six PLAN vessels. According to that update, all three aircraft sorties entered Taiwan’s southwestern and eastern Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) and were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8). The ROC Armed Forces monitored and responded to those movements as well.
The cross-strait relationship remains a sensitive and contested issue. Beijing insists that Taiwan is part of China, a stance reflected in Chinese policy and legal statements. Taiwan, however, operates with its own government, military and economy and asserts a distinct political identity. The island’s status continues to be a subject of international debate involving questions of sovereignty, self-determination and non-interference.
Historically, China’s claim traces back to the Qing dynasty’s annexation of Taiwan in 1683 after defeating Ming loyalist Koxinga.
(This article is based on a syndicated feed from ANI and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the syndicated content.)
