Taiwan's defense ministry reported spotting 16 Chinese warplanes near the island on Friday. This occurred as Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party, in Beijing.
During the meeting, Xi stated that he would "absolutely not tolerate" Taiwan independence. Cheng presented her visit as an effort to reduce tensions and advance peace across the Taiwan Strait.
Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council deputy minister, Shen Yu-chung, characterized China's actions as a consistent tactic of using military coercion to apply pressure for political negotiations. He noted the contradiction between China's messages of peace and its ongoing military pressure.
KMT Vice Chairman Chang Jung-kung emphasized that promoting peace involves offering Taiwanese people a choice between peace or war. He suggested that engaging with China for cross-strait peace offers "peace with dignity."
President Lai Ching-te's office responded by stating that the Xi-Cheng meeting aimed to assert Taiwan's status as part of the People's Republic of China and advance its annexation. Lai's spokesperson reiterated that Taiwan's future must be decided by its people.