JAKARTA - China's military is trying to weaken Taiwan's armed forces with repeated missions nearby, but Taiwan can respond, Taipei's defense minister said Monday after renewed tensions over China's air force activities.
Taiwan deployed warplanes again on Sunday after 27 Chinese Air Force aircraft re-entered the air defense identification zone or ADIZ.
"Their intentions are slowly running out, to tell you that we have this power", Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng told reporters on the sidelines of a parliamentary meeting for lawmakers, when asked about the latest attack.
"Our national forces have shown that, even though you may have this power, we are capable of countermeasures", Taiwan's Defense Minister added.
Taiwan complains of repeated missions by the Chinese Air Force over the past year, precisely near the democratically-ruled island and in the ADIZ, not its territory, but the wider area being monitored and Taiwan patrols acting to give it more time to respond to any threats.
Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory and has not ruled out taking it by force, has called China's activities a "grey zone" of war.
Minister Chiu, who described the situation as "very serious", said Taiwan would continue to analyze the type of aircraft China is using to inform plans.
To note, China's latest mission includes 18 fighter jets plus five nuclear-capable H-6 bombers, as well as, remarkably, a Y-20 aerial refueling aircraft, Taiwan's Ministry of Defense said.
The bomber and six warplanes flew south of Taiwan into the Bashi Strait that separates the island from the Philippines, then out into the Pacific before returning to China, according to maps provided by the ministry.
The planes were accompanied by refueling planes, showing China refueling short-range fighters, although the country's air force skills are still training to hone its ability to carry out strikes far from China's shores.
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