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Taipei: Eight Chinese warplanes crossed Taiwan StraitTaiwan’s defense ministry said the median approached the island’s border area 24 nautical miles (44.4 km) off its coast on Saturday, in another escalation of tensions.
The Chinese Air Force for the past three years has been routinely in the air space about taiwan. And since last August, it has been regularly sending planes across the strait’s median line, which once served as an unofficial barrier.
In March, Taiwan’s Minister of Defense Qiu Kucheng He warned that the island should be on alert this year for a “sudden entry” by the Chinese army into areas close to its territory.
Taiwan defines its contiguous zone as 24 nautical miles from its coast. Its territorial area is limited to 12 nautical miles from its coast, although the government has not reported Chinese aircraft coming this close.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense said in a statement that it had detected 19 Chinese warplanes, including J-10 and J-16 fighters, starting around 8 a.m. (0000 GMT) on Saturday.
It added that eight of those crossed the center line and “approached” the 24-nautical-mile mark.
Meanwhile, the ministry said that five Chinese warships carried out what it called “joint combat readiness patrols”.
Taiwan sent its own planes and ships in response and activated ground-based missile systems, the ministry said, using standard wording for how its forces should respond to Chinese incursions.
China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its territory. Taiwan’s government rejects the allegations and says that only the island’s residents can decide their own future.
The Chinese Air Force for the past three years has been routinely in the air space about taiwan. And since last August, it has been regularly sending planes across the strait’s median line, which once served as an unofficial barrier.
In March, Taiwan’s Minister of Defense Qiu Kucheng He warned that the island should be on alert this year for a “sudden entry” by the Chinese army into areas close to its territory.
Taiwan defines its contiguous zone as 24 nautical miles from its coast. Its territorial area is limited to 12 nautical miles from its coast, although the government has not reported Chinese aircraft coming this close.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense said in a statement that it had detected 19 Chinese warplanes, including J-10 and J-16 fighters, starting around 8 a.m. (0000 GMT) on Saturday.
It added that eight of those crossed the center line and “approached” the 24-nautical-mile mark.
Meanwhile, the ministry said that five Chinese warships carried out what it called “joint combat readiness patrols”.
Taiwan sent its own planes and ships in response and activated ground-based missile systems, the ministry said, using standard wording for how its forces should respond to Chinese incursions.
China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its territory. Taiwan’s government rejects the allegations and says that only the island’s residents can decide their own future.
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