Taiwan reports new incursion by China’s Air Force into defence zone amid rising tensions

Taiwan’s airspace was yet again violated by China’s air force on Monday as the new incursion made up of eight fighter jets and two other aircrafts entered the island’s air defence identification zone while one of the foreign aircraft flew through the strategic Bashi Channel, said island’s Defence Ministry. Especially over the last few months, the self-ruled democratic island has complained repeatedly over China’s repeated missions on Taiwan-claimed airspace concentrated in the southwestern part near the Pratas Islands.

Earlier, on April 3, Beijing’s warplane entered the Taiwanese southwest air defence identification zone (ADIZ, Focus Taiwan reported. The Chinese aircraft flew into the airspace between Taiwan and the Dongsha Islands in the South China Sea, which are controlled by the self-ruled democratic island according to the chart provided by the Taiwan Defence Ministry. Reportedly, responding to incursion by China, Taiwan’s Air Force scrambled planes to monitor the foreign aircraft and issued radio warnings. Taiwan Air Force also mobilized its defence assets until the Chinese aircraft left the ADIZ.

Chinese J-16 and J-10 involved

According to Taiwan’s Defence ministry statement, in the latest incident of Monday, four Chinese J-16 and J-10 fighters each were involved along with an early warning plane and an anti-submarine aircraft. The anti-submarine aircraft flew to the south of Taiwan through the Bashi Channel that connects the Pacific and the South China Sea, the whole of which is claimed by China.

In response to the incursion, the island’s air force sent a combat air patrol and cautioned the Chinese aircraft away from its region. Even though there was no immediate response from china’s Defence Ministry, the flights coincided with other Chinese military activity to Taiwan’s north.

Earlier, on Sunday, Japan’s Defence Ministry had also said that the Chinese aircraft carrier the Liaoning along with five escort ships had transited the Miyako Strait, moving towards the Pacific. China’s heightened military activity has irked several nations. Even though China;’s air force has not flown over Taiwan itself, the flights have escalated both financial and physical pressure on the island. 

Taiwan had initially split from mainland Cina at the end of a civil war in 1959. Even though the ruling Chinese Communist Party in Beijing has never governed Taiwan, CCP considers the island has its part and has claimed to retake by force if necessary. China has also made territorial expansions in the resource-rich South China Sea and even threatens the American island of Guam.

Image credits: AP