China Deploys 125 Fighter Jets In Large-Scale Military Exercises Near Taiwan

Illustration of fighter jets. (Unsplash-Bing Hui)

JAKARTA - China deployed 125 fighter jets, aircraft carriers and Liaoning vessels in large-scale military exercises around Taiwan.

The exercise simulated the closure of major ports in a move that underscores the tense situation in the Taiwan Strait.

China also confirmed it was done to punish Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te for rejecting China's claim of sovereignty over Taiwan.

"This is a firm punishment for Lai Ching-te's continued engineering of 'Taiwan independence' nonsense," the Taiwan-China Affairs Office said in a statement, quoted by AFP, Tuesday, October 15.

China's military drills have been carried out four days since Monday, October 14 after Taiwan celebrated the anniversary of the country's founding on Taiwan's National Day.

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense said at least 90 aircraft, including fighter jets, helicopters, and unmanned aircraft, were seen inside Taiwan's air defense zone.

Traffic in Taiwan's air during the day yesterday from 5.02 am to 4.30 pm set a daily record in the zone.

Taiwan's Secretary-General of the Security Council, Joseph Wu, responded to China's efforts loudly.

"Our military will definitely deal with threats from China appropriately," Wu said at a forum in Taipei, Taiwan's capital.

"Threatening other countries with violence violates the basic spirit of the United Nations Charter to resolve disputes in a peaceful manner," he continued.

Taiwan's Presidential Office also called on China to stop the military provocation that undermines regional peace and stability and stop threatening Taiwan's democracy and freedom.