China again hovering over Taiwan, will 'fight to the end' says the leadership
China flew 56 fighter planes toward Taiwan on Monday in the largest show of force on record, continuing the three days of sustained military harassment against the self-ruled island.
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Taipei, Oct5: China flew 56 fighter planes toward Taiwan on Monday in the largest show of force on record, continuing the three days of sustained military harassment against the self-ruled island. The first 52 planes included 34 J-16 fighter jets and 12 H-6 bombers, among other aircraft, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense. Later, four more Chinese J-16s flew toward the southwestern part of Taiwan’s air defence identification zone, a buffer outside the country’s airspace.
The Taiwanese air force scrambled its fighter planes and monitored the movement of the Chinese warplanes on its air defence system, the ministry said.
China claims democratically ruled Taiwan as its own territory, to be brought under its control by force if necessary. It refuses to recognize the island’s government and has increasingly sought to isolate the independence-leaning administration of President Tsai Ing-wen.
Experts have called the flights and other military manoeuvres by Beijing grey zone warfare, or any type of military action short of direct combat. Many say they do not believe the display of force and aggressive rhetoric, much of which is repetitive, will lead to war.
“We are very concerned that China is going to launch a war against Taiwan at some point, even though the threat may not be imminent at this point,” Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corp. broadcast on Monday.
The latest flights have come in separate groups with daytime and nighttime incursions. The nighttime flights are of note, analysts say, because they’re more challenging due to reduced visibility.
“They have the kind of confidence to operate at night,” said Chen-Yi Tu, a researcher at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research in Taiwan.
China claims democratically ruled Taiwan as its own territory, to be brought under its control by force if necessary. It refuses to recognize the island’s government and has increasingly sought to isolate the independence-leaning administration of President Tsai Ing-wen.
Experts have called the flights and other military manoeuvres by Beijing grey zone warfare, or any type of military action short of direct combat. Many say they do not believe the display of force and aggressive rhetoric, much of which is repetitive, will lead to war.
The latest flights have come in separate groups with daytime and nighttime incursions. The nighttime flights are of note, analysts say, because they’re more challenging due to reduced visibility.
“They have the kind of confidence to operate at night,” said Chen-Yi Tu, a researcher at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research in Taiwan.
