00:00Records are being broken around Taiwan as the Defense Ministry spots 130 Chinese military
00:08aircraft operating near its shores, the highest single-day total this year. From Monday to Tuesday
00:14morning, 90 aircraft came closer to Taiwan's main island, and 32 naval vessels were spotted nearby.
00:21The surge comes as the Defense Ministry deals with Day 2 of China's Just-in-Mission 2025
00:27exercises, which on Tuesday included Li-Fi drills.
00:49These new drills are similar to China's 2024 Joint Sword A and B exercises, both of which
00:56rehearse blockade-style drills. But this time, China's military appears even closer to Taiwan.
01:02The Chinese military even says it entered Taiwan's 12-nautical-mile waters,
01:07a claimed Taiwanese lawmakers dispute.
01:09Taiwan has deployed forces across the country to different areas of activity. Up north,
01:37armored artillery was put on alerts. In central and eastern Taiwan, tanks were readied,
01:43and in the south, prepared to respond quickly.
01:47Taiwan's Air Force has deployed F-16s to monitor Chinese fighter jets.
01:51And at sea, Taiwan Coast Guard is driving off trespassing vessels.
01:55The sudden uptake in tension has attracted international attention. Europe's Interparliamentary
02:09Alliance on China has condemned China for what it calls deliberate escalation of coercive pressure
02:15against Taiwan. For his part, U.S. President Donald Trump had this to say.
02:20Well, I have a great relationship with President Xi, and he hasn't told me anything about it. I
02:26certainly have seen it, but he hasn't told me anything about it, and I don't believe he's going to be doing it.
02:34Although scheduled to end early Tuesday evening, China's drills could have far-reaching effects,
02:39and have re-ignited Taiwan's debates over a stalled special defense budget. But whether the firing of
02:46Chinese guns just miles of Taiwan's shores is enough to break the deadlock remains to be seen.
02:51Fu Hua Hong and Ellen Lu for Taiwan Plus
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