ANKARA

Amid heightened Chinese military presence around Taiwan, the island nation's President Lai Ching-te visited the nearby Penghu islands on Friday to meet with soldiers stationed, according to an official statement.

"The President @ChingteLai visited Penghu this morning and encouraged the local garrison to become a key force in ensuring national security," the Taiwan Defense Ministry said on X.

Lai said the forces stationed on the islands, located between Taiwan and China, stand at the ready and vowed that his government will continue to enhance equipment and facilities for the forces.

"Today in Penghu I witnessed our armed forces’ steadfast commitment to defense readiness. As you stand firm to safeguard #Taiwan, we’ll continue to enhance equipment & facilities. Grateful for your tireless service, especially during the recent Han Kuang exercises," he said on X after the visit which came on the day China flew aircraft and sailed vessels near Taiwan.

The Taiwanese Defense Ministry said "19 PLA (People's Liberation Army) aircraft, 7 PLAN vessels and 2 official ships operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 15 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's eastern ADIZ (Air Defense Identification Zone)."

Last month, Lai said he was planning to boost Taiwan's defense spending by 6% to $19.76 billion in 2025.

China views Taiwan as a "breakaway province" despite Taipei having governed itself since 1949. Beijing has vowed to reunify the island, including by force if necessary.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid