People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, including bombers, fighter jets, anti-submarine aircraft and aerial early warning and control aircraft, entered Taiwan’s ADIZ in two groups – one of 19 aircraft and the other of five jets that came later. Day.
A map released by Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense shows some Chinese aircraft, including H-6 bombers, flying around the southern part of Taiwan, and flanking the east side of the island.
In response, the ministry said a radio alert had been issued and an air defense missile system was deployed to monitor the activity.
The incursion did not violate Taiwan’s sovereign airspace, which extends 12 nautical miles from its coast. The US Federal Aviation Administration defines ADIZ as “a specified area of airspace on land or water within which a country requires the immediate and positive identification, location, and air traffic control of aircraft in the interest of the nation’s national security.” Is.”
The air incursion comes a day after Taiwan officially submitted an application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) free-trade agreement.
China’s foreign ministry signaled strong opposition to Taiwan’s application.
“We strongly oppose official exchanges between any country and the Taiwan region, and strongly oppose Taiwan’s involvement in any agreement or organization of an official nature,” said ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian.
Taiwan and mainland China have been governed separately since the end of a civil war more than seven decades ago in which defeated nationalists fled to Taipei.
However, Beijing considers Taiwan an inseparable part of its territory – even though the Chinese Communist Party has never ruled the democratic island of about 24 million people.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry reiterated that point on Thursday evening after PLA warplanes took off.
“Taiwan is Taiwan, and it is not part of the People’s Republic of China. The People’s Republic of China has never ruled Taiwan for a single day,” a statement from Taiwan’s foreign ministry said.
The ministry said the island should be able to make its own choice when it comes to matters such as joining an international trade agreement.
“The Chinese government only seeks to intimidate Taiwan into the international community and is to blame for the escalating tensions in cross-strait relations,” the statement said.
When Tokyo released its annual defense white paper in July, it contained its strongest language on Taiwan, saying, “Stabilizing the situation around Taiwan is critical to Japan’s security.”
But some sort of PLA incursion into Taiwan’s ADIZ has become an almost daily occurrence.
For example, prior to Thursday’s flights, there were two incursions on Wednesday, one on Monday, four on Sunday and 10 last Friday, according to Taiwan’s defense ministry.
Analysts have said that the PLA’s flights to China serve a number of purposes, both demonstrating the PLA’s prowess to a domestic audience, while providing Chinese military intelligence and skills that will help it in any potential conflict involving Taiwan. will be required.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has ruled out the possibility of military force to occupy Taiwan if needed.
CNN’s Will Ripley and Hannah Richie contributed to this report.
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