Taiwan on Monday reported the largest incursion since January by the Chinese air force into its air defense zone, and the island’s defense ministry said Taiwanese fighters were fighting to warn 30 planes in the last rise in tensions.
Taiwan, which China claims is its own territory, has complained over the past two years or so about repeated Chinese Air Force missions near the democratically governed island, often in the southwestern part of China. air defense identification zone, or ADIZ, near the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands.
Taiwan calls China’s repeated close military activities “gray zone” war, designed both to erode Taiwan’s forces by repeatedly fighting them and to test Taiwan’s responses.
The latest Chinese mission included 22 fighters, as well as electronic warfare, early warning and anti-submarine aircraft, the Taiwan ministry said.
The plane flew in an area northeast of the Pratas, according to a map provided by the ministry, although far from Taiwan itself.
Taiwan sent fighter jets to warn Chinese planes, while missile systems were deployed to control them, the ministry said.
It was the largest incursion since Taiwan reported 39 Chinese planes to its ADIZ on January 23.
There was no immediate comment from China, which in the past said that these moves were exercises aimed at protecting the country’s sovereignty.
The Chinese military said last week that it had recently conducted an exercise around Taiwan as a “solemn warning” against its “collusion” with the United States.
This comes after US President Joe Biden angered China by appearing to point to a shift in US policy of “strategic ambiguity” in Taiwan, saying the United States would be militarily involved if China attacked. the island.
China has stepped up pressure on Taiwan to accept its claims to sovereignty. The Taiwanese government says it wants peace but will defend itself if attacked.
No shots were fired and Chinese planes did not fly into Taiwan’s airspace, but to its ADIZ, a larger area of Taiwan’s vigilante and patrol that acts to give it more time to respond to any threats.
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