China sends 71 warplanes toward Taiwan after the U.S. signs defense bill offering protection
China's army sent fleets of jet fighters and other military aircraft into Taiwan's air defense zone on Sunday as part of a military drill Beijing says was a response to "provocation" from the U.S. and Taiwan, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense reported that a total of 71 Chinese airplanes were detected flying in the airspace surrounding Taiwan, with 47 of them crossing the maritime border of the Taiwan Strait at about 6 a.m., per CNN. The ministry also revealed that it detected seven Chinese naval vessels near Taiwan on Sunday.
On Monday, China's army released footage of numerous jet fighters taking off and naval officers carrying out their duties on the Chinese social-media platform Weibo. The army said the drills were a "resolute response to the current US-Taiwan escalation and provocation," without elaborating on said provocation, ABC News reports.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Officials from Washington and Taipei have criticized China's recent aggressive military maneuvers. The White House's National Security Council called the drills provocative and said the action was "destabilizing, risks miscalculations, and undermines regional peace and stability," per the Journal.
President Biden previously stated the U.S. would protect Taiwan if China moved forward with invading the democratically governed island. China's Communist Party has long expressed plans to reunify the island with the Chinese mainland since it views Taiwan as part of its territory. On Dec. 23, Biden signed the National Defense Authorization Act for 2023, which included authorization of up to $10 billion over five years to finance weaponry and military equipment sales to Taiwan. The bill also featured provisions to provide training and other assistance to help the island defend itself in the event of an invasion by China.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Theara Coleman has worked as a staff writer at The Week since September 2022. She frequently writes about technology, education, literature and general news. She was previously a contributing writer and assistant editor at Honeysuckle Magazine, where she covered racial politics and cannabis industry news.
-
'Make legal immigration a more plausible option'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
LA-to-Las Vegas high-speed rail line breaks ground
Speed Read The railway will be ready as soon as 2028
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel's military intelligence chief resigns
Speed Read Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva is the first leader to quit for failing to prevent the Hamas attack in October
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Ukraine cheers House approval of military aid
Speed Read Following a lengthy struggle, the House has approved $95 billion in aid for Ukraine and Israel
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Poland, Germany nab alleged anti-Ukraine spies
Speed Read A man was arrested over a supposed Russian plot to kill Ukrainian President Zelenskyy
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel hits Iran with retaliatory airstrike
Speed Read The attack comes after Iran's drone and missile barrage last weekend
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Peter Murrell: Sturgeon's husband charged over SNP 'embezzlement' claims
Speed Read SNP expresses 'shock' as former chief executive rearrested in long-running investigation into claims of mishandled campaign funds
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Mark Menzies: Tories investigate MP after 'bad people' cash claims
Speed Read Fylde MP will sit as an independent while party looks into allegations he misused campaign funds on medical expenses and blackmail pay-out
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Why Johnson won't just pass Ukraine aid
Speed Read The House Speaker could have sent $60 billion in military aid to Ukraine — but it would have split his caucus
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Is the next cold war a drone-swarm race between US and China?
Today's Big Question Both global superpowers are building up their capacity for surging robotic warfare. What happens next is anyone's guess.
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Sudan on brink of collapse after a year of war
Speed Read 18 million people face famine as the country continues its bloody downward spiral
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published