Taiwan accuses China of stepping up tension with record incursion of military planes

Taiwan on Saturday accused Beijing of increasing pressure and wanting to undermine peace in the region, after the record incursion of 38 Chinese military planes into the island’s defense zone.

The Beijing show of force began on Friday, the anniversary of the Chinese National Day, with the incursion of a record number of Chinese military planes, 38 in total, including a nuclear-capable H-6 bomber. About twenty planes returned this Saturday in the Taiwan region.

The 23 million inhabitants of this island, now governed by a democratic regime, live under the constant threat of a Chinese invasion. Beijing considers that the island, ruled by a democratic regime, belongs to its territory and threatens to conquer it, by force if necessary.

Since in 2012, Xi Jinping took over the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party and, therefore, of the country, Chinese military planes have entered Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on many occasions.

But Friday’s raid sparked a particularly virulent response by Taipei. “China has been belligerent and attacked regional peace with numerous acts of intimidation»Declared the Prime Minister Su Tseng-chang, during a press conference this Saturday morning.

“It is clear that the world, the international community, increasingly rejects these behaviors of China.“, he underlined.

The Taiwanese Ministry of Defense has indicated that 22 fighter jets, two bombers and an anti-submarine plane entered the ADIZ on Friday from the southwest of the island.

And in the night from Friday to Saturday, a second group of 13 planes entered the same area, according to the same source.

ADIZ is not the same as Taiwan’s airspace, but includes a larger area that overlaps part of mainland China’s air defense identification area and even part of its territory.

“Don’t be silly in my area”

These maneuvers took place after Monday UK to send warship to Taiwan Strait for first time since 2008, the sea which separates this island from mainland China and which Beijing considers a very sensitive maritime passage.

The Chinese military accused the UK of acting with “the malicious intent to sabotage peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”.

The United States and other countries consider this area to be international waters and therefore open to everyone.. Last year, 380 Chinese military personnel were detected in ADIZ, and so far in 2021, more than 500 have already been identified.

The last daily record was on June 15, when 28 planes entered Taiwan’s air defense zone.

Some experts warn that relations between mainland China and Taiwan had not been so strained since the mid-1990s.

U.S. military officials have said they fear China is considering invading the island.

Alexandre huang, an associate professor at Tamkang University in Taipei, said the latest air raid isn’t just trying to send a message to Taiwan. “China sends political message to US and UK on National Day: “Don’t be stupid in my region”Huang explained, taking into account that Washington has deployed two aircraft carriers in this area and the UK has one.

In recent years, Canadian, French and Australian warships have also crossed the Taiwan Strait, which has also sparked strong protests from the Chinese government.

(With information from AFP)

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