Taiwan Sees Large-Scale China Presence 03/16 07:00

   

   HONG KONG (AP) -- Taiwan saw a surge of Chinese military planes near the 
island, its defense ministry said Sunday, after a sharp drop in flights over 
the past two weeks had sparked discussions among observers.

   The ministry detected 26 Chinese military aircraft around the island on 
Saturday, with 16 of them entering its northern, central and southwestern Air 
Defense Identification Zone. Seven naval ships were spotted around the island, 
it reported.

   The increased number of aircraft came after the ministry reported a fall 
that left analysts scratching their heads about what China's military may be up 
to.

   Taiwan didn't report any Chinese military planes that went beyond the median 
line and entered the zone for a week from Feb. 27 to March 5. After two were 
detected on March 6, the next four days had none. Such flights resumed in small 
numbers between Wednesday and Friday.

   The drop coincided with the annual meeting of China's legislature. While 
such flights have fallen in the past during major events and public holidays, 
this year's fall was more prominent than in the past.

   Analysts said the meeting could not be the sole reason behind the recent 
drop. Another potential factor could be a desire to calm the waters with 
Washington weeks before a visit by U.S. President Donald Trump. The White House 
has said that Trump would travel to China from March 31 to April 2, though 
Beijing has not officially confirmed that.

   Some observers also suggested the decline may be driven by a shift to a next 
phase in China's military training and modernization, with the army appearing 
to be exploring a new model for joint training between its forces.

   China has vowed to seize the island, by force if necessary. Over the years, 
Beijing has sent warplanes and navy vessels toward the island on a near-daily 
basis.

   Taiwan's military previously signaled that it wasn't changing its defense 
posture because of the falloff in Chinese warplane activity.

   Defense Minister Wellington Koo earlier noted that China's navy has remained 
active in nearby waters, even as military flights have fallen off.

   China and Taiwan have been governed separately since 1949, when the 
Communist Party rose to power in Beijing following a civil war. Defeated 
Nationalist Party forces fled to Taiwan, which later transitioned from martial 
law to multiparty democracy.