International
Taiwan registers the highest number of Chinese incursions in a day since October 2021
A total of 56 Chinese Army aircraft crossed the midline of the Taiwan Strait or entered the self-proclaimed Taiwanese Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), the highest number of raids in a single day since October 2021, the Island Government reported.
In its latest daily report, the Ministry of National Defense (MDN) of Taiwan reported that 17 of those aircraft crossed the dividing line of the strait, an unofficial border that was respected by Taipei and Beijing for decades.
Another 39 flew over the southwest and southeast regions of the self-proclaimed ADIZ between 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday (10:00 p.m. GMT on Tuesday) and 6:00 a.m. on Thursday (22:00 GMT on Wednesday).
The 56 incursions reported today equal the record recorded on October 4, 2021, when another 56 Chinese aircraft violated the island ADIZ, although on that occasion they passed at a greater distance from the main island of Taiwan.
During these last maneuvers, Chinese Army planes and drones passed 133 kilometers from the northern city of Keelung, where a military base is located, and approached only 61 kilometers from Cape Eluanbi, at the southern end of Taiwan, according to the DND report.
“The Armed Forces of the Republic of China (official name of Taiwan) have monitored the situation and have used fighter jets, Navy ships and coastal missile systems in response to the detected activities,” the official text said.
The military portfolio said in a separate statement that it had detected the presence of 37 Chinese aircraft, including J-16 fighters and H-6 bombers, operating with the aircraft carrier Shandong in the vicinity of the island early in the morning of that day.
The Taiwanese Minister of Defense, Wellington Koo, said that the Government had “complete control” of the situation, adding that the aircraft carrier did not pass through the Bashi Strait, which separates Taiwan from the Philippines, but traveled through the Balintang Canal, located between the Philippine islands of Batanes and Babuyan.
Tensions between Taipei and Beijing have increased since the inauguration of sovereignist William Lai (Lai Ching-te), considered an “independent” and a “rioter” by the Chinese authorities, as the new Taiwanese president on May 20.
Since then, the Ministry of National Defense has discovered a total of 939 Chinese Army aircraft operating around the island, of which 701 crossed the dividing line of the strait or violated the self-proclaimed Taiwanese ADIZ, which yields an average of almost 15 incursions per day.
The island president has offered dialogue to the Chinese Government on several occasions, on the basis that the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of China “are not subordinate to each other”; an approach categorically rejected by Beijing, which considers the island as part of its territory.
International
German president says trust in U.S. leadership is ‘lost’ amid global tensions
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Tuesday that trust between the United States and its Western allies has been “lost,” warning that the damage could persist beyond the presidency of Donald Trump.
“The rupture is very deep, and the loss of trust in U.S. great power policy is significant—not only among its allies, but also, as I observe, globally,” Steinmeier said during a speech in Berlin marking the 75th anniversary of Germany’s Foreign Ministry.
Referring to the future of transatlantic relations, he stated that “there is no return to the situation before January 20, 2025,” the date marking the start of Trump’s second term in the White House.
“Even a future U.S. administration will no longer be able to resume the role of a benevolent hegemon guaranteeing a liberal international order,” added Steinmeier, who previously served as Germany’s foreign minister.
He also criticized the war against Iran, describing it as “contrary to international law” and calling it “a political mistake with serious consequences.”
“This war is avoidable and unnecessary,” he said.
Although the German presidency is largely ceremonial, Steinmeier’s remarks reflect a broader concern within Germany, aligning with the government’s cautious stance while going further in tone.
International
Trump claims talks with Iran as G7 meets to address global tensions
U.S. President Donald Trump said that the United States has held talks with Iran—a claim denied by Tehran—and has temporarily paused his threat to target the country’s electrical infrastructure.
In his first overseas trip since the United States and Israel launched their offensive on February 28, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to address key global issues, including the situation in the Middle East, according to State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott.
Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven will meet in Cernay-la-Ville, close to Versailles, on the outskirts of Paris.
During the meeting, Rubio will hold discussions with his counterparts on “the war between Russia and Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, and threats to global peace and stability,” Pigott said.
France currently holds the presidency of the G7, whose members also include the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Italy, and Japan.
Although all G7 nations are close allies of the United States, none has offered explicit support for Washington’s military actions against Iran, a stance that has reportedly frustrated Trump.
Last Saturday, G7 foreign ministers called for an “immediate and unconditional end” to Iranian attacks against U.S. allies in the Middle East.
International
Pentagon to deploy 3,000 troops to Persian Gulf as Middle East tensions escalate
The Pentagon is planning to deploy nearly 3,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Persian Gulf, according to two senior officials cited Tuesday by Spanish newspaper El País.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah warned it would confront any attempt at occupation following Israel’s announcement that its military will take control of southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, located about 30 kilometers from the border.
In recent hours, the Israel Defense Forces carried out airstrikes on Beirut, while Iran and Hezbollah responded with attacks on Israel, leaving at least six people with minor injuries in Tel Aviv.
The escalation comes as global markets react to renewed instability. The price of oil rose again above $100 per barrel after a brief decline the previous day, following an announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump of a five-day truce on attacks targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure.
Despite the announcement, Iranian authorities reported that two projectiles struck a gas pipeline in Khorramshahr and administrative buildings at a gas facility in Isfahan early Tuesday.
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