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Taiwan says 17 Chinese vessels, 125 aircraft approach island

On Monday, China’s People’s Liberation Army launched the "Joint Sword-2024B" exercise near Taiwan

HONG KONG, October 14. /TASS/. As many as 125 aircraft and 17 vessels of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) have been detected near Taiwan, Lieutenant General Xie Risheng, deputy head of the Taiwanese Defense Ministry’s intelligence department, said.

"As for the aircraft, I would like to specify that there are mostly fighter jets, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles; a total of 125 flights have been detected," he said at a press conference.

Xie added that the Taiwanese military had also detected 17 Chinese warships near the island.

On Monday, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) launched the "Joint Sword-2024B" exercise near Taiwan. According to the PLA Eastern Theater Command, the drills serve "as a stern warning to the separatist acts of 'Taiwan Independence' forces."

Taiwan has been governed by its local administration since 1949 when the remaining Kuomintang forces led by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) fled to the island after suffering a defeat in China’s civil war. Beijing considers the island to be one of its provinces.

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