What Are Chinese Aircraft Doing In Taiwan’s Air Defence Zone?

A Chinese PLA Xian H-6 jet bomber. China’s air force flew 34 fighter jets, one bomber, two electronic warfare planes, and two intelligence-gathering planes into the Taiwan Straight on Sunday.

China’s military did not give a reason for the missions, but it came days after a US warship conducted a freedom of navigation exercise near the disputed Paracel Islands.

In recent years the People’s Liberation Army has ratcheted up its missions, which it says are training drills, to near-daily frequency.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Defence said it had tasked aircraft in response, issued radio warnings to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) pilots, and deployed missile defence systems to monitor the activity.

In recent years the PLA has ratcheted up its incursions, which it says are training drills, to near-daily frequency.

The warplanes flew near the disputed Pratas Islands and close to the edge of the median line, an unofficial border of set length through the Strait between Taiwan’s main island and China.

Longstanding tacit agreement over the marker appeared to be thrown out by China in 2020 when a foreign ministry spokesperson said there was no such thing.

No Chinese missions crossed the line between its declaration by US military figures in 1955 and 1999 and remained rare in the years after.

Beijing considers Taiwan to be a province of China and has not ruled out taking it by force.

Taiwan, which is a self-governing democracy with open elections and free press, maintains it is a sovereign nation. In response to Beijing’s threats, it is strengthening its military with assistance and weapons purchases from the US, but faces challenges.