Taipei [Taiwan], March 2 (ANI): Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense detected five Chinese naval vessels around its territorial waters as of 6 am (local time) on Monday.

In a post on X, the MND said, '5 PLAN vessel operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and responded. Illustration of flight path is not provided due to no PLA aircraft operating around Taiwan were detected during this timeframe.'

https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/2028274092005278031?s=20

Earlier on Sunday, Taiwan's MND detected seven vessels and a balloon around its territorial waters.

In a post on X, MND said, '7 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 1 PRC balloon was detected during this timeframe. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and responded.'

https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/2027911703992717389?s=20

China's claim over Taiwan is a complex issue rooted in historical, political, and legal arguments. Beijing asserts that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China, a viewpoint embedded in national policy and upheld by domestic laws and international statements.

Taiwan, however, maintains a distinct identity, functioning independently with its own government, military, and economy. Taiwan's status remains a significant point of international debate, testing the principles of sovereignty, self-determination, and noninterference in international law, as per the United Service Institution of India.

China's claim to Taiwan originates from the Qing Dynasty's annexation of the island in 1683 after defeating Ming loyalist Koxinga. However, Taiwan remained a peripheral region under limited Qing control. The key shift came in 1895, when the Qing ceded Taiwan to Japan after the First Sino-Japanese War, marking Taiwan as a Japanese colony for 50 years.1 After Japan's defeat in World War II, Taiwan was returned to Chinese control, but the sovereignty transfer was not formalised.

In 1949, the Chinese Civil War resulted in the establishment of the People's Republic of China (PRC) on the mainland, while the Republic of China (ROC) retreated to Taiwan, asserting its claim to govern all of China. This led to dual sovereignty claims: the PRC over the mainland and the ROC over Taiwan. Taiwan has operated as a de facto independent state but has avoided declaring formal independence to prevent military conflict with the PRC, United Service Institution of India states. (ANI)