Taiwan reports large incursion by China

23/1/2021 19:35

        Eight Chinese bomber planes and
        four fighter jets entered the southwestern corner of Taiwan's
        air defence identification zone on Saturday, and Taiwan's air
        force deployed missiles to "monitor" the incursion, the island's
        Defence Ministry said.
        
        China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, has
        conducted almost daily flights over the waters between the
        southern part of Taiwan and the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands
        in the South China Sea in recent months.
        
        However they have generally consisted of just one or two
        reconnaissance aircraft.
        
        The presence of so many Chinese combat aircraft on this
        mission - Taiwan said it was made up of eight nuclear-capable
        H-6K bombers and four J-16 fighter jets - is unusual.
        
        A map provided by Taiwan's Defence Ministry showed that the
        Chinese aircraft, which also included a Y-8 anti-submarine
        aircraft, flew over the same waters where the most recent
        Chinese missions have been taking place near the Pratas Islands,
        though still well away from mainland Taiwan.
        
        Taiwan's air force warned away the Chinese aircraft and
        deployed missiles to monitor them, the ministry added, using
        standard wording for how it responds to such activities.
        
        "Airborne alert sorties had been tasked, radio warnings
        issued and air defence missile systems deployed to monitor the
        activity," it said in a brief statement.
        
        There was no immediate comment from China. In the past China
        has said it has been carrying out exercises to defend the
        country's sovereignty and security.
        
        Beijing has watched with growing concern increasing U.S.
        support for democratic Taiwan, especially during Donald Trump's
        administration which left office on Wednesday.
        
        Last year during visits by senior U.S. officials to Taipei
        Chinese aircraft briefly crossed the median line of the Taiwan
        Strait, which normally serves as an unofficial buffer.
        
        The flight by the Chinese bombers and fighters on Saturday
        came just days after Joe Biden assumed the U.S. presidency.
        
        Emily Horne, spokeswoman for the White House National
        Security Council, said the U.S. commitment to Taiwan was
        "rock-solid" after the island's de facto ambassador in
        Washington, Hsiao Bi-khim, attended Biden's swearing-in on
        Wednesday.