China deploys aircraft and warships near Taiwan

China has deployed 15 aircraft and six warships near Taiwan in the last 24 hours. The island's defense ministry reported on Twitter, specifying that the Y-9 aircraft crossed the southwestern perimeter of the area. Air Defense Identification (Adiz). The island responded to the sortie by deploying ships, aircraft and land-based missile systems.

China claims the self-governed island as an inalienable part of its territory and organizes sorties into the waters and airspace surrounding the island on an almost daily basis. Earlier this week, the Taiwanese military conducted two live-fire exercises in southern Pingtung county. On July 3, the "Tian Ma" exercise was held, with the deployment of US-made Tow 2A anti-tank missiles.

The maneuvers were conducted with the aim of strengthening the combat readiness of the troops in the event of an invasion by China, which considers the island an "inalienable part" of its territory. The next day was the turn of the "Shen Kung" exercises, focused on the launch of Stinger missiles and on the evaluation of the asymmetric warfare capabilities of the troops. Eleven army units took part in the maneuvers. Pingtung, overlooking the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea, the Pacific Ocean and the Bashi Channel, which separates Taiwan from the Philippines, is a highly strategic point to monitor Beijing's military activities, as well as a potential landing site in case of an invasion.