China has deployed more than 20 fighter jets and eight warships towards Taiwan, the self-ruled island's defense ministry announced on Wednesday.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army sent 20 military aircraft and eight navy vessels around Taiwan in a 24-hour-window leading up to 6am local time Wednesday, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense said.
Of these, 14 fighter jets crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait - an unofficial boundary that spans over 90 miles wide and is regarded a buffer zone between the island and China.
Taiwan has monitored the situation and employed its own forces, including aircraft, naval vessels, and coastal missile systems, in response to the activities.
This comes a few days after the highest single-day number of 36 Chinese military aircraft were spotted this year.
Beijing has long claimed democratically governed Taiwan as part of its own territory, despite never having controlled it, and has never renounced the use of force to assert its sovereignty claims.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping has previously said in his New Year's address that the island's "reunification" with China is "inevitable."
These remarks mirror those previously said by Xi Jinping, who considers seizing control over Taiwan an important factor to his broader objective to achieve the "national rejuvenation" of China as a global powerhouse.
But achieving these goals through military means, proves to be challenging for China, who fears the risk of armed conflict in the Strait, and inadvertently, with Taiwan's key allies such as the US.
The military pressure comes on the heels of an announcement that US troops have stationed themselves at the islands in the Taiwan Strait permanently - a move that could stir heavy pushback by the mainland.
Fears over a possible invasion by China mounts in light of a change in leadership in Taiwan, after Lai Ching-te was elected as the new president in January.
Lai's Democratic Progressive Party, where he serves as its vice-president, largely campaigned on self-determination, social justice and a rejection of China's soviereignty claims over Taiwan.
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