Taipei [Taiwan], August 19 (ANI): Taiwan on Saturday termed China as the "bully next door" and said that Beijing should hold its own election instead of shaping Taipei.

"The PRC has made it clear it wants to shape Taiwan's coming national election. Well, it's up to our citizens to decide, not the bully next door. Look, China should hold its own elections; I'm sure its people would be thrilled," Taiwan's Foreign Ministry said on microblogging site X. This came hours after the People's Republic of China reportedly crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan on Saturday said it has detected 42 warplane incursions into its air defence zone since China announced the launch of military drills, the country's Defence Ministry said.

"Since 0900 (UTC8) today (Aug. 19), the R.O.C. Armed Forces detected 42 PLA aircraft (including KJ-500, Y-9, J-10, J-11, J-16, SU-30 etc.), 26 of which crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait. Additionally, the PLA aircraft conducted joint combat patrol with 8 PLAN vessels," Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence said on X.

"The R.O.C. Armed Forces are closely monitoring the situation with our ISR system and have deployed CAP aircraft, naval vessels, and land-based missile systems in response," it added.

Earlier in the day, the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee released a statement on Vice President William Lai's "stopover" in the US.

An official of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee on Saturday strongly condemned the new provocative move by Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to further collude with the United States, Xinhua News agency reported.

The official made the remarks in response to Lai Ching-te's "stopover" through the United States, describing the move as Lai's shameless efforts to cling to US support to seek "Taiwan independence."The DPP authorities have stubbornly adhered to the separatist stance of "Taiwan independence," continuously made provocations by relying on the United States to seek "Taiwan independence," and willingly acted as a pawn for anti-China forces in the United States and in the West to contain China, the official said, adding that they have "betrayed the interests of the Chinese nation."Lai has stubbornly stuck to the "Taiwan independence" stance, the official said, adding that Lai's latest "stopover" through the US was a disguise he used to sell out the interests of Taiwan in order to seek gains in the local election through dishonest moves, as per Xinhua News agency.

Lai's deeds have proven that he is an out-and-out troublemaker who will push Taiwan to the dangerous brink of war and bring deep troubles to Taiwan compatriots, the official said.

"We are willing to create ample room for peaceful reunification, but we will not allow any space for 'Taiwan independence' separatist activities in any form," Xinhua News agency quoted the official saying. (ANI)