Taiwan reports big incursion by China's air force

TAIPEI • Taiwan yesterday reported the largest incursion since January by China's air force in its air defence zone, with the island's Defence Ministry saying Taiwanese fighters scrambled to warn away 30 aircraft in the latest uptick in tensions.

Taiwan, which China regards as a renegade province, has complained for the past two years or so of repeated missions by China's air force near the democratically governed island, often in the south-western part of its air defence identification zone, or ADIZ, close to the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands.

Taiwan calls China's repeated nearby military activities "grey zone" warfare, designed to both wear out Taiwan's forces by making them repeatedly scramble, and also to test Taiwan's responses.

The latest Chinese mission included 22 fighters, as well as electronic warfare, early warning and antisubmarine aircraft, the Taiwan ministry said.

The aircraft flew in an area to the north-east of the Pratas, according to a map the ministry provided.

Taiwan sent combat aircraft to warn away the Chinese aircraft, while missile systems were deployed to monitor them, the ministry said. It was the largest incursion since Taiwan reported 39 Chinese aircraft in its ADIZ on Jan 23.

So far, no shots have been fired and the Chinese aircraft have not been flying in Taiwan's air space, but in its ADIZ, a broader area Taiwan monitors and patrols that acts to give it more time to respond to any threats.

REUTERS