TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan’s defence ministry said on Thursday that Chinese warplanes and warships had carried out the first “combat patrol” around the island of the New Year, after Taiwan President Lai Ching-te again expressed willingness to talk to Beijing.
China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, sends its military into the skies and waters near the island on an almost daily basis, and holds what Taiwan calls “joint combat readiness patrols” several times a month.
Taiwan’s defence ministry said it had detected 22 Chinese military aircraft, including J-16 fighter jets, carrying out a “joint combat readiness patrol” around Taiwan in conjunction with Chinese warships starting on Thursday morning.
It said the Chinese aircraft flew in airspace to the north, west, southwest and east of Taiwan, and that Taiwanese forces were dispatched to keep watch.
China’s defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Lai, in his New Year’s Day news conference, reiterated his desire for exchanges with China. He has repeatedly called for talks but has been rebuffed. Beijing, which held two rounds of war games around Taiwan last year, calls him a “separatist”.
On Wednesday, China’s Eastern Theatre Command, whose area of responsibility includes Taiwan, released a New Year’s video on social media of warships and warplanes, and what appeared to be a Chinese fighter jet flying near a P-8 Poseidon patrol aircraft that the U.S. sometimes sends through the Taiwan Strait.
The video, set to the song “Chinese” by Hong Kong pop star Andy Lau, also included images of Chinese students visiting Taiwan late last year at the invitation of former President Ma Ying-jeou.
Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung told reporters in Taipei on Thursday that the video was yet more Chinese psychological warfare.
“It is the People’s Liberation Army showing its intimidation of Taiwan,” he said.
Lai and his government say only Taiwan’s people can decide their future.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Kim Coghill and Christopher Cushing)
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