China has defended its recent military exercises near Taiwan as a punitive response to what it calls the island’s president’s continued promotion of separatism.

In a stern statement issued by Beijing, Chinese authorities claimed the joint combat readiness patrols – conducted in the morning and afternoon – were meant to counter provocations by Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te.

According to Taiwan’s defence ministry, a total of 54 Chinese warplanes, including J-10 jets and drones, were deployed to the airspace surrounding Taiwan. The ministry reported that these aircraft flew near Taiwan from the north, west, southwest, and east, with 42 of the planes crossing the unofficial median line of the Taiwan Strait. In response, Taiwanese air and naval forces were dispatched to monitor the activities.

“If the Lai administration dares to provoke and play with fire, it will only bring about its own destruction,” a spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office warned, reiterating Beijing’s long-standing claim over Taiwan—a claim that the island’s government vehemently rejects.

Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council criticized the drills as part of an escalating military threat by Beijing that has raised tensions in the Taiwan Strait and destabilized regional peace. “The Chinese Communist Party is a troublemaker in every sense of the word,” the council said, urging allied nations to oppose China’s continued military expansion.

While such military activity is not new, Taiwan’s security officials note that Beijing has been working to normalize these patrols, which now occur on average every 7-10 days. Last week, President Lai accused China of deepening its influence campaigns and infiltration efforts aimed at “absorbing” Taiwan, while reaffirming his stance that only the people of Taiwan should decide their future.

The latest exercises underscore the heightened military and political tensions in the region as both sides remain locked in a bitter dispute over Taiwan’s status. China, which has never ruled out the use of force to assert its claims over the island, continues to step up pressure, while Taipei calls for dialogue amid growing international concerns about regional stability.

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