The Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense has issued a denial following rumors of a Chinese missile falling into its territorial waters.
According to the ministry, rumors circulated online claiming that missiles fired by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army had fallen into Taiwan’s territorial waters, with the information being kept secret.
“[Taiwanese Armed Forces] have been monitoring our surrounding region closely and have not detected such activity,” the ministry said in a tweet. “Such disinformation is released to undermine our credibility to the public. We urge everyone to verify what you see before jumping to judgement.”
The situation around Taiwan has been particularly tense lately. Between April 8 and 10, 2023, the PLA organized large-scale military maneuvers in Taiwan’s vicinity, involving air and naval assets which simulated a military blockade of the island.
The exercise, named Joint Sword, included live fires in the surrounding maritime areas and simulated strikes on strategic targets in Taiwan.
On the last day of the exercise, the Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense reported the presence of 91 Chinese military aircraft around the island, out of which 54 crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ).
