After stern warning, Taiwan hits back at China; shoots down drone in Kinmen region

Amid the ongoing tussle with China, Taiwan's Defence Ministry reportedly claimed that the country's forces shot down an unidentified drone in the Kinmen region on Thursday. This comes after the Taiwanese Defence Ministry claimed that as many as 62 Chinese fighter jets entered its Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) on August 31. The ministry further stated that the country's armed forces are monitoring the situation and responding appropriately. 

"7 PLAN vessels and 62 PLA aircraft around our surrounding region were detected today (August 31, 2022) until 1700(GMT+8). #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and responded to these activities with aircraft in CAP, naval vessels, and land-based missile systems (sic)," the Defence Ministry wrote in a Twitter post. 

Notably, an ADIZ is a zone that extends beyond a country's airspace where approaching aircraft are asked to identify themselves by air traffic controllers. China has been sending a significant number of warplanes into Taiwan's defence zone in recent years to express displeasure and to keep Taipei's ageing fighter fleet taxed on a regular basis. Meanwhile, the Chinese side has also often expressed its discontent with the United States, which has repeatedly expressed its support for Taiwan. 

China conducted massive military drills around Taiwan region

Earlier on August 4, China announced that military drills were being conducted in six zones encircling Taiwan by its navy, air force, and other agencies. In addition to its efforts to diplomatically isolate Taiwan, China has long threatened military action in response to the island nation's efforts to strengthen its de facto independence with the backing of key allies like the US. Meanwhile, Taiwan's Defence Ministry stressed that its personnel were on alert and keeping an eye on the situation while attempting to avoid rising tensions. 

It is pertinent to mention here that tensions between China and the US have been growing since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi paid a visit to Taiwan on August 2. The relations between the two countries have hit a new low after her visit to the self-ruled democratic island despite the continuous warnings from the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Since then, the Chinese administration has taken several retaliatory measures including conducting massive military drills in the Asia Pacific region and imposing sanctions on Pelosi and her immediate family. Further, China has often condemned the United States for maintaining official ties with Taiwan, claiming that such activities violate "China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and contribute to regional instability."

Image: AP/Pixabay/Representative