Taiwan

Addressing the Taiwanese parliament, Taiwan Defence Minister Chiu-Kuo-Cheng, when asked by a lawmaker about the China situation in the parliament, said that the situation is worse in 40 years since he has joined the military, adding there was a risk of a "misfire" across the sensitive Taiwan Strait.

Biden appeared to be referring to Washington's longstanding "one China" policy under which it recognises China rather than Taiwan. However, this agreement also allows Washington to maintain a "robust unofficial" relationship with Taiwan. The announcement comes amid escalating tensions between Taiwan and Beijing.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen vowed to "do whatever it takes" to guard Taiwan against invasion as she indicated that without help from the country's allies "authoritarianism has the upper hand over democracy." Nearly 150 Chinese warplanes have breached Taiwan's airspace since Friday, including 56 jets on Monday in a dramatic increase in aggression.

Taiwan raised the alarm after Chinese warplanes violated its airspace nearly 150 times over the course of about four days, leaving top Taiwanese, and some American, officials worried about a military confrontation. "We urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure and coercion against Taiwan, and we have an abiding interest in peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait." White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.

China has been regularly, and increasingly, trespassing into Taiwan's marine and air spaces over the last two years. It has been intimidating its eastern democratic neighbour in the hope of annexing it into the mainland one day. But the 145 aircraft over four days was setting a new record of intimidation. In response, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) scrambled combat patrol aircraft and issued radio warnings to the Chinese aircraft.

The first batch consisting of 25 jets flown by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) constituted of 18 J-16 fighter jets, 2 H-6 bombers, 4 Su-30 fighter jets plus an anti-submarine aircraft. This was followed by a second wave of 13 Chinese aircraft in the same area on Friday evening. They flew over waters between Taiwan and the Philippines.

The ministry further added that Beijing is escalating military operations surrounding the island, which it considers Chinese territory. China, on its part, has never publically declared its intentions of capturing Taiwan by force. According to the copy of the Parliamentary report accessed by Reuters, Taiwan's defence ministry has presented a somber perspective than that of last year.

The 2021 white paper by Japan's Defence Ministry, published this week, has removed Taiwan from a map of China. The white paper in its earlier editions had always shown Taiwan and China together, alluding to Taiwan as a territory of China. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has welcomed the changes to the white paper.