Taiwan says Chinese fighter jets 'driven out' by its air force after they crossed strait

Taiwan's defence ministry on August 10 informed that the country's air force intercepted Chinese fighter jets who had crossed the median line of the sensitive Formosa strait, separating the self-ruled island and mainland China. The defence ministry said that the fighter jets were also tracked by Taiwan's land-based anti-aircraft missile system before they were driven out by the country's air force. This comes amid the high-profile visit by the United States Secretary of Health Alex Azar, who is the first US politician to visit Taiwan in four decades. Azar's visit was condemned by China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory and wants other countries to adhere to the 'One China' policy. 

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Chinese fighter jets had approached Taiwan in June on five different occasions as they were confronted by the Taiwanese air force and sent away. According to reports, Chinese J-10 and J-11 fighter aircraft entered the southwestern part of the Taiwanese defense identification zone following which they were warned away by the ROC Air Force. Taiwan's Air Force in a statement said that it regularly patrols the area near Chinese-claimed islands and when its pilots spotted Chinese fighter jets entering its air defense zone they warned them via radio after which they withdrew and went back. 

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Taiwan's international standing

Taiwan, which is officially known as the Republic of China lost its United Nations seat in 1971, following which most countries broke diplomatic ties with the nation in favour of the People's Republic of China, including the United States. The United States, however, from time and again keeps supporting the country with arms and other strategic support to keep the status quo maintained in the South China Sea. The United States had recently supported Taiwan's entry into the World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of the WHO.  

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(Image Credit: AP)