Taiwan's F-16 intercepts Chinese bombers, Tsai urges to focus at coronavirus

Taiwan’s air force intercepted Chinese jets flying around the island on February 9 and its Defence Ministry denounced the move as a threat to regional peace and stability. Taiwan's Defence Ministry, in a statement, said that Chinese J-11 fighters and H-6 bombers flew into the Bashi Channel and then headed back to its base.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) lashed out at Beijing after the combat aircraft flew close to Taiwan. According to the Ministry, Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen urged China to deal with coronavirus instead of threatening a country militarily. Taking to Twitter, the Ministry added that H-6 bombers cannot destroy coronavirus.

The Defence Ministry said that its military used air reconnaissance aircraft and air defence forces as per the combat readiness regulations. The MFA tweeted an image of Taiwan air force F-16 shadowing one of the Chinese H-6 bombers.

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Aircraft career in Taiwan Strait

In December last year, China sailed its newly commissioned aircraft career into the Taiwan Strait on to flex its muscle in the region. Taiwan’s Defence Ministry, in a statement, had said that the aircraft carrier Shandong, accompanied by the frigate, sailed from North to South via the Taiwan Strait.

Calling it a military threat, the MFA tweeted about the incident and said that Taiwan is determined to defend itself against such looming danger. Taiwan’s presidential office also released a statement saying it is the responsibility and duty for the two sides across the strait to maintain peace and stability and strive for the well-being of the people.

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The self-governing island republic considers itself as sovereign while China claims the province as Beijing’s territory under its one-China policy. Chinese President Xi Jinping has asserted, through his speeches, that China has the right to use force in order to bring Taiwan under its control but Beijing prefers “peaceful reunification”. In 2016, China severed ties with Taiwan government after Tsai was elected as President.

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