Taiwan Invasion Threat: 10 PLA Military Aircraft, 3 Naval Ships Tracked Amid Tensions With China

KEY POINTS

One Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane was among the 10 aircraft
However, no PLA aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line
In the last 30 days, Beijing has sent more than 40 military aircraft and 13 naval ships around Taiwan

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 10 Chinese military aircraft and three naval vessels around the island nation between early Tuesday and Wednesday.

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft that were spotted near Taiwan included one Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane, according to Taiwan News.

The aircraft were spotted in the southwest corner of Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND.

During this time, no PLA aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line, the ministry confirmed in the statement. In response to the presence of the PLA aircraft and vessels near its border, Taiwan sent its own jets and naval ships, along with land-based missiles, to monitor the situation.

In the last 30 days, Beijing has sent more than 40 military aircraft and 13 naval ships around Taiwan amid concerns of an invasion by China.

The island nation has been under constant threat from China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory. Tensions between the two nations have deepened with Beijing ramping up military, diplomatic and economic pressure on the democratic island.

Beijing has also been infuriated with U.S. President Joe Biden's handling of Taiwan. The threat was further fueled in August when U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made a sudden trip to Taiwan, with the PLA staging military drills around the island as part of a protest.

Ties between the U.S. and China continued to sever as Biden said Washington would defend Taiwan militarily if attacked by China. Last month, the U.S. also stepped up support for Taiwan by including a bill authorizing $10 billion in military aid, to which Beijing expressed "strong opposition."

China also sent a record 18 H-6 bombers into the southwestern ADIZ in December in the largest daily incursion to date.

Meanwhile, Herbert Raymond McMaster, a former National Security Adviser, said Monday he believes Chinese President Xi Jinping is "preparing the Chinese people for war."

Speaking on CBS' "Face The Nation," hosted by Margaret Brennan, McMaster warned the U.S. of an impending threat of conflict with China over Taiwan.

"I think we have to be careful not to mirror image, not to fall into the same traps we did with Vladimir Putin, of confirmation bias and optimism bias," said McMaster. "China has become increasingly aggressive, not only from an economic and financial perspective and a wolf warrior diplomacy perspective, but physically, with its military."