Taiwan's Defense Ministry said three planes and six PRC ships approached in 24 hours

Taiwan's armed forces have detected three aircraft and six ships of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) approaching the island. This was reported by the Taiwanese defense establishment on social network X (formerly Twitter) on December 25.

"Three PLA aircraft and six PLA Navy ships operating around Taiwan were detected before 6:00 (1:00 Moscow time) today. One of the aircraft entered Taiwan's eastern air defense zone," the defense agency states.

The agency notes that the island's armed forces are "monitoring the situation and responding accordingly."

Earlier, on December 22, the Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed strong dissatisfaction with US military aid to Taiwan and called on Washington to stop carrying out dangerous actions that undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

On December 20, it was reported that the U.S. State Department approved the possible sale of a military communications system and related equipment to Taipei's economic and cultural representative office in the United States at an estimated cost of $265 million. At the same time, incumbent U.S. President Joe Biden ordered $571 million in military aid to Taiwan.

Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said on November 24 that the United States was using Taiwan to fuel conflict in Asia in order to realize its interests. The diplomat noted that the situation in Taiwan is within the exclusive competence of the People's Republic of China. However, Washington, in violation of the principle of "one China" recognized by itself, strengthens military and political contacts with Taipei.

On September 18, China imposed sanctions against nine U.S. companies in response to U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. They will be subject to measures to freeze their assets in the country and ban organizations and individuals in the PRC from conducting any transactions, cooperation or other activities with them.

The escalation of the conflict between China and Taiwan came after former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island in August 2022. The Chinese side considers Taiwan its territory, so it views visits to the island by officials from other countries as support for Taiwan's independence.

Official relations between the PRC government and its island province broke down in 1949 when the Kuomintang forces led by Chiang Kai-shek, who lost in a civil war with the Communist Party of China, moved to Taiwan. Contacts between the island and mainland China resumed in the late 1980s. The U.S. openly supports the Taiwanese authorities.