TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense Wednesday condemned China's sudden declaration of a live-fire exercise zone off the coast of south Taiwan for joint exercises of its air and sea forces.

The MND said that since 8:42 a.m., it has detected 32 Chinese military aircraft, including Shenyang J-11 jet fighters, Shaanxi KJ-500 early warning and control aircraft, drones, and other fighter jets around Taiwan. Of these People's Liberation Army aircraft, 22 crossed the Taiwan Strait median line and entered Taiwan’s northern and southeastern air defense identification zone, or ADIZ.

The ministry said the Chinese aircraft carried out maneuvers with PLA naval vessels. The MND said China “blatantly violated international norms and set up an exercise zone without warning in the waters about 40 nautical miles (74 km) off the coast of Kaohsiung and Pingtung."

In response, the MND condemned these actions and sent naval, air, and coastal forces to monitor PLA activities.

The MND said China announced without prior warning through radio broadcasts that it would conduct live-fire training in specific areas in international waterways. The ministry said the exercises threaten international air safety and maritime navigation and constitute a “blatant provocation to regional security and stability.”

At a time when the world is striving for peace, the MND said, "The CCP's actions run completely contrary to the principles of ‘peaceful coexistence’ such as ‘mutual respect’ and ‘shared prosperity’ that it has repeatedly proclaimed."

The MND added the CCP’s recent live-fire exercises off the coast of Vietnam and Australia, its military intimidation of the Philippines, and other actions that undermine the status quo are “sufficient to prove that China is the sole and greatest threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region.” 

The ministry said the military will “continue to make every effort to bolster its forces and prepare for war, and closely monitor the situation around the Taiwan Strait to ensure national defense security.”