Tension Between China and Taiwan
The Ministry of National Defense in Taiwan said 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine naval vessels were detected near the island nation around 3 a.m.
“Armed Forces have monitored the situation and tasked CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond these activities,” the ministry tweeted. FoxNews
With more than 350 vessels, Beijing commands the world’s largest naval fleet, per the Defense Department. By comparison, the US Navy has 296 ships and submarines.
However, China currently has only one foreign naval base — in Djibouti in East Africa. Business Insider
A Taiwanese F-16 fighter jet made an emergency landing at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Hawaii on Monday afternoon, and the U.S. Air Force pilot who was flying the aircraft was taken to the hospital for treatment, U.S. officials said Tuesday. Yahoo News
Armies worldwide see drone squadrons as key players in combat, able to overwhelm defense systems by sheer numbers and without putting soldiers’ lives at risk, such as with more expensive jets or tanks. France24
The Chinese city of Shanghai, the country’s economic centre and a global trade hub, has eased Covid curbs after a two-month lockdown.
At midnight local time (16:00 GMT Tuesday), restrictions were relaxed to allow most people to move freely around the city of some 25 million people. YahooNews
As the West spends billions in aid to support Ukraine’s offensive against Russia, concerns are mounting over the looming possibility of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. All this rhetoric begs the question: Just how feasible is a Chinese invasion of Taiwan at this point? France24
Taiwan Coast Guard vessels are being transformed into missile-launching “ship killers” that could be quickly rolled out to defend the nation in the event of a Chinese invasion. taiwannews.com.tw
BEIJING, May 25 (Xinhua) — The joint strategic air patrol by Chinese and Russian air forces does not target any third party, and has nothing to do with the current international and regional situations, a Chinese defense spokesperson said. More from cctv.com
Taiwan’s military said recently that it will start recruiting twice the annual number of special reservists next year, as part of a reform project to create a more reliable backup force for the country’s regular troops, amid China’s growing military threats. focustaiwan.tw
Chinese state researchers are calling for the development of anti-satellite capabilities against Elon Musk’s SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet constellation, citing the broadband system’s potential military applications and threat to China’s national security. Asia Times