Chinese warplanes made 159 incursions into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone last month, Agence France-Presse data showed, the second-highest monthly number on record.
Beijing has ramped up pressure on Taiwan since President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) took office in 2016.
Over the past 14 months, the sabre-rattling has reached new peaks after Beijing began sending an increasing number of warplanes into the zone, which Chinese military aircraft had previously largely avoided.
Photo: Ministry of National Defense / EPA-EFE
The escalatory moves have heightened fears among Western allies that China could order an invasion of Taiwan, even if they consider it unlikely for now.
On Tuesday, the Pentagon unveiled plans to reinforce deployments and bases directed at China, upgrading and expanding military facilities in Guam and Australia.
In Taipei, the Ministry of National Defense began making the Chinese warplane incursions public in September last year and AFP has built a database collecting details of the flights, which have been increasing in size and frequency.
November was the third month in a row in which more than 100 warplanes have made forays.
The incursions last month included 100 by fighter jets and nine by China’s nuclear-capable H6 bombers.
Beijing has stuck to probing the southwestern part of zone.
Near-daily smaller flights means Taiwan’s fleet of fighters is regularly scrambled, while Beijing also sometimes sends larger numbers to show displeasure over specific events.
October remains the busiest month on record with 196 incursions, 149 of which were made over just four days as Beijing marked China’s National Day.
Last month saw fewer large-scale incursions, but a near-daily trickle of planes.
“The recent situation is particularly grim with almost non-stop” incursions, Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) said on Monday, after a sortie by 27 Chinese aircraft the day before, the biggest of the month, but only the fifth-largest daily incursion on record.
China’s “intention is to slowly exhaust [us], to let you know that we have this power,” Chiu said.
Chiu has previously warned that military tensions between Taiwan and China are at their highest in four decades, adding that Beijing would be in a position to launch a full-scale invasion by 2025.
Since the ministry first began making the forays public, more than 1,000 flights have been made.
A defense report released by the ministry last month said that China’s “frequent manipulation of gray-zone threats” such as the warplane incursions, are aimed at “seizing Taiwan without a fight.”
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
The Taiwan Experience Education Program (TEEP) has funded short-term internships in Taiwan for more than 4,500 young people from more than 40 countries since 2015, with the goal of attracting and retaining international talent, the Ministry of Education said yesterday. Fifty-five colleges launched 514 projects this year, including in fields such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, medicine and biotechnology, green energy, and sustainability, it said. The program provides research and practical internships in Taiwan for two to six months, and offers cultural exchange and networking opportunities, the ministry said. For example, National Formosa University’s Embedded System and Autopilot Laboratory developed two solar-powered drones in
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
Taipei resident Mu Chu-hua caught some glimpses of China’s mighty military parade on YouTube on Wednesday. As she watched hypersonic missiles roll down Beijing’s Changan Avenue and troops march in lockstep, she did not feel like they posed a threat to Taiwan. Mu, a 69-year-old retiree, said she saw the parade as simply a way for Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) to “say thank you to the troops.” “I thought it was quite normal,” she said. “It was very cool.” China’s military parade commemorating the end of World War II was being watched internationally for insights into Beijing’s military advances and its show
RSS