Taiwan declares "high" alert after China's restriction on its airspace
This is yet another episode in the tensions between the Beijing and Taipei governments, which are disputing the sovereignty of the Taiwanese island.
Map of the locations of the "Joint Sword-2024B" military exercises around Taiwan.
Taiwan announced Monday that its military units were placed on "high" alert after China deployed a military warning to restrict the airspace off its southeastern coast, which it shares with the Taipei government.
"The Ministry of National Defense (MND) stated today that, in response to the PLA's (People's Liberation Army) announcement of seven airspace restriction zones in areas east of Zhejiang and Fujian today through the 11th, the MND activated its response center this morning," the agency said in a statement.
It added that its military units were placed on "high" alert.
At the same time, it announced the launch of "combat readiness maneuvers" after detecting the presence of Chinese navy and Coast Guard vessels near the Taiwan Strait and western Pacific Ocean.
"In response to these PLA actions, the MDN initiated combat readiness maneuvers, considering enemy threats, weather conditions and tactical positioning," the ministry said.
It further said in a statement that Taiwan's outermost islands "raised their level of vigilance."
The new tensions come shortly after Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te last week made an international tour of his allies in the Pacific, with stops in Hawaii and Guam, both U.S. territories.
Although China and Taiwan have been governed separately since 1949, Beijing claims the island as part of its territory and in recent years has increased military, diplomatic and economic pressure on it.
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