China Sends 13 Military Aircraft, 3 PLA Vessels To Circle Taiwan

Taiwan has reported fresh Chinese military incursions around the self-ruled island.

According to Taiwan News, the island's Ministry of National Defense has tracked 13 Chinese military aircraft and three naval vessels between 6 a.m. local time Sunday and 6 a.m. on Monday.

Of those detected Chinese aircraft, a Harbin Z-9 anti-submarine warfare helicopter reportedly entered the southeast section of Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ).

Taiwan's defense ministry said it had mobilized combat patrol aircraft, naval vessels and land-based air defense missile systems upon assessing the situation.

The latest Chinese incursion came after Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu warned that a conflict with China could happen in 2027.

Wu shared his concern about the possible Chinese attack in an interview with the British radio station LBC.

"We are taking the Chinese military threat very seriously ... I think 2027 is the year that we need to be serious about," Wu said, The Guardian quoted.

The Taiwanese foreign minister has also drawn parallels between China and Russia, saying that the world had failed to stop Russia's military posturing against Ukraine.

Wu said the world didn't also stop China from implementing its national security law in Hong Kong, and now Taiwan is "feeling all this pressure."

The top Taiwanese diplomat has previously warned about the possibility of a Chinese attack against the island, arguing that the recent large-scale military exercises were setting the stage to launch a war against Taiwan.

Meanwhile, E.U. foreign policy chief Josep Borrell urged the member countries of the bloc to deploy warships in the Taiwan Strait to keep China in check.

Borrell said the issue of Taiwan presents a concern for Europe "economically, commercially and technologically," Politico reported.

Borrell added that deploying warships in the strait would show "Europe's commitment to freedom of navigation" and keeping vigilant against provocations.

Tensions flared anew between China and Taiwan earlier this month after Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen met with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California, despite repeated warnings from Beijing.

As a result, China's People's Liberation Army conducted three-day military exercises across Taiwan Strait to protest the Tsai-McCarthy meeting.

The Chinese military exercises included simulations of sealing off Taiwan and attacking critical targets on the island.

In response, Taiwan carried out its war and disaster drills, in which Taiwanese emergency responders showed off their capabilities to tackle real-world scenarios.

Taiwan's drill simulations include responding to a residential building damaged by a missile attack, responders helping civilians in a chemical attack and evacuating wounded citizens.

Speculations about a possible Chinese attack against Taiwan have floated in recent months after a U.S. intelligence report suggested that Chinese President Xi Jinping had already instructed its military to prepare for an invasion of the island by 2027.