Taiwan says China is bolstering coastline military bases facing the self-ruled island

By SIMINA MISTREANU
Associated Press

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan says China is continuously bolstering its military bases along the coastline facing Taiwan as Beijing steps up military activities around the territory it claims as its own. Taiwan says it will continue to monitor the Chinese activities around the island and bolster its defenses in response. Earlier on Tuesday, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said it had spotted 22 Chinese warplanes and 20 warships near the island over the previous 24 hours — part of military harassment by Beijing, which hasn’t ruled out force to reunite the island with the mainland. A senior Taiwanese defense official told reporters this year China has aggressively expanded its armaments and continued to build various types of fighter jets and drones. He says all key coastline bases have been upgraded.