The air force yesterday scrambled to warn away 18 Chinese aircraft that entered the nation’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), the Ministry of National Defense said, part of what is a regular pattern of incursions that has angered Taipei.
Taiwan has complained of repeated such missions by Chinese aircraft, which have become a common occurrence over the past two years or so.
Taiwan is in a heightened state of alert due to fears China could use Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to make a similar military move on the nation, although the government has not reported any signs Beijing is about to attack.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of National Defense
The number of aircraft involved was well off the last large-scale incursion, 39 Chinese aircraft on Jan. 23, and since then, such flybys have been with far fewer aircraft.
The ministry said the latest mission included six Chinese J-11 and six J-16 fighters, as well as two H-6 bombers.
There was no immediate comment from the Chinese Ministry of National Defense. China has described previous such missions as to defend the nation’s sovereignty and to counter “collusion” with foreign forces — a veiled reference to US support for Taiwan.
The bombers, accompanied by a Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft, flew to the south of Taiwan through the Bashi Channel that separates the nation from the Philippines.
The other aircraft flew over an area to the northeast of the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島) at the top end of the South China Sea, according to a map provided by the Taiwanese ministry.
Taiwanese fighters were sent up to warn the Chinese aircraft and air defense missiles were deployed to “monitor the activities,” it said, using standard wording for how Taiwan describes its response.
No shots have been fired and the Chinese aircraft have not been flying in Taiwan’s air space, but in its ADIZ.
Japan this week reported eight Chinese naval vessels, including an aircraft carrier, passed between islands in Japan’s southern Okinawa chain, to the northeast of Taiwan.
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