Taiwan reports new large-scale Chinese air force attack | News
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China has not yet commented on the raids, with Taiwan saying there were 34 fighter jets and four electronic warplanes.
Taiwan has delivered the biggest attack since October As the Chinese air force enters its air defense zone, the island’s Defense Ministry said Taiwanese fighters had warned of 39 planes in the latest rise in tensions.
Taiwan has been complaining for more than a year repeated missions The Chinese Air Force is close to a democratically governed island, often southwest of the area to identify its air defense, or ADIZ, near the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands.
Taiwan calls repeated military activities around China a “gray area” for the war, repeatedly shuffling Taiwanese forces and designed to test Taiwan’s responses.
The last mission in China consisted of 34 fighters plus four electronic warplanes and a single bomber, the Taiwanese ministry said.
The plane flew over an area northeast of Pratas, according to a map provided by the ministry.
The Taiwanese Air Force issued radio warnings that its air defense missile systems had been activated, the ministry said in a statement released Sunday night.
There was no immediate comment from China, which said in the past that such moves were exercises aimed at protecting the country’s sovereignty.
China has stepped up pressure on Taiwan to accept its sovereignty claims. The Taiwanese government says it wants peace but will defend itself if it is attacked.
It’s unclear what could have boosted Sunday’s activities. Many times in China, to coincide with the visits of foreign officials to Taiwan or to coincide with certain important dates.
Continuous incursions
Sunday’s attack was the largest of China’s warplanes since Oct. 4, when a record 56 aircraft were intercepted in Taiwan’s air defense zone.
Taiwan reported 148 Chinese Air Force aircraft south and southwest of its air defense area within four days from October 1, the same day China celebrated a major national holiday, National Day.
Prior to the latest attack, Beijing had already sent 70 Chinese warplanes to the Taiwan air defense area in 17 days since the start of the new year.
No shots were fired and Chinese planes did not fly into Taiwan airspace, but in their ADIZ, a wider area of Taiwan controls and patrols, acting to provide more time to respond to any threats.
Taiwan has had an independent government since 1949, but China considers it an autonomous democracy in its territory.
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