Taipei: In a concerning development, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence reported Thursday that 33 Chinese aircraft and five vessels were detected in the vicinity of the country in the 24 hours leading up to 6 a.m. The development came following Beijing's criticism of President William Lai's comment referring to Taiwan as a country, as reported by the Taipei Times.

Out of the total aircraft, 24 crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, entering Taiwan's northern, southwestern, and eastern air defence identification zones, according to the ministry's statement. Furthermore, Taiwanese fishermen reportedly spotted two Chinese vessels off the coast of Hualien.

21 aircraft, including Su-30 fighters and Shaanxi KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft, were observed operating near Taiwan, the ministry noted, mentioning that 16 of these aircraft crossed the median line into Taiwan's northern, central, southwestern, and eastern air defence identification zones.

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence has accused China of increasing military pressure by “harassing” the island’s airspace and waters under the guise of joint combat readiness patrols. In response, Taiwan’s armed forces said they deployed patrol aircraft, naval vessels, and coastal missile systems to monitor and counter the movements.

The ministry noted that while China's last large-scale military exercises around Taiwan were held in April, Chinese warplanes and naval vessels continue to operate near the island on a near-daily basis, often in significant numbers.

The rising tensions come as Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te launched a national address series aimed at reinforcing unity. In the first of ten planned speeches, Lai asserted that “Taiwan is of course a country,” and dismissed China’s territorial claims over the island as lacking legal and historical legitimacy.