Taiwan’s Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday that it has detected 19 Chinese Air Force aircraft in its air defense zone in the past 24 hours, as part of what Taipei describes as regular provocations by Beijing.
Taiwan, which China considers part of its territory, has complained in the past three years of intense Chinese military activity near the island in an attempt by Beijing to assert its claims to sovereignty.
China says its activities in the region are justified in its attempt to defend the integrity and territorial integrity of its territory and to put in warns the United States against “collusion” with Taiwan, despite the anger this arouses in Taipei.
Taiwan’s defense ministry said 19 aircraft, all J-10 fighters, flew into the southwest corner of Taiwan’s air defense zone. This corner is closer to the Chinese coast than Taiwan, according to a map released by the ministry.
The planes did not cross the demarcation line into the Taiwan Strait, which in it was previously considered an unofficial separator between the two sides, and Chinese forces have flown over us nearly every day since maneuvers near Taiwan last August.
The Chinese planes were flying over Taiwan’s air defense zone, not in its airspace.
Taiwan’s air defense zone is a vast one area which Taiwan monitors and patrols, with the aim of giving it ample time to respond to any threat.
Taiwan’s democratically elected government has often offered talks with China, but at the same time stresses that the island will defend itself if attacked and that the island’s fate rests solely in the hands of its people.
You must log in to post a comment.