China: Military drills, flights were needed to defend Taiwan

BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese official says China’s recent increase in military exercises and warplane missions near Taiwan were necessary to defend the nation’s sovereignty and territory. Taiwan sees China’s increased military pressure as advertising its threat to bring the island it claims as its own territory under its control by military means as necessary. China’s military flew 56 planes off the southwest coast of Taiwan on a single day earlier this month as part of a four-day campaign. All were in international airspace, but the display raised fears that any misstep could provoke an unintended escalation. A Chinese spokesperson on Taiwan affairs blamed actions by Taiwan’s independence-leaning government and its relations with “external forces” for heightening tensions.