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In response to the unrest and to further assert its authority, Beijing announced a total quarantine of Taiwan, demanding notification for any ship or aircraft entering the waters surrounding the island. The Chinese Coast Guard increased its presence drastically, deploying over 180 vessels to patrol the area while military aircraft soared through the skies, intensifying fears in Taipei and beyond that an armed confrontation was imminent.
Taiwan responded with stern declarations of resistance against what it deemed an illegal Chinese aggression. Spiraling questions hovered over the military strategies and moral stances of both sides, particularly how far they were willing to go to assert their positions without igniting a broader conflict.