TAIPEI (Reuters) – The Taiwan Ministry of Defense reported on Monday a new incursion by the Chinese Air Force into the island’s air defense identification zone, consisting of eight fighters and two other aircraft, one of which flew through the strategic Canal Bashi.
Taiwan claimed by the Chinese in recent months of repeated Chinese Air Force missions near the island, concentrated in the southwestern part of its air defense zone near the Silver Islands, controlled by Taiwan.
At the end of last month, Taiwan reported that 20 Chinese aircraft were involved in one of these raids.
In the last incident, the Taiwan Ministry of Defense said that four Chinese J-16s and four Chinese J-10s were involved, as well as an early warning aircraft and an anti-submarine aircraft, the last of which flew to southern Taiwan. through the Bashi Channel that connects the Pacific to the South China Sea.
The Taiwanese air force sent a combat air patrol and alerted Chinese planes away, the ministry added.
There was no immediate response from the Chinese Ministry of Defense, but the flights coincided with other Chinese military activities in northern Taiwan.
Japan’s Defense Ministry said on Sunday that Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning, accompanied by five escort ships, crossed the Miyako Strait en route to the Pacific.
Although the Chinese air force did not fly over Taiwan, the flights increased the pressure, both financial and physical, on the island’s air force to ensure that its aircraft are ready to depart at any time, in what security authorities describe as a “War of attrition”.
China sees democratic Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.
Although Taiwan’s air force is well trained, it is surpassed by China’s.
Reporting by Ben Blanchard; edition by Barbara Lewis