China Intercepts 39 Fighter Jets And Bombers At ADIZ, Taiwan Deploys Fighter Jets And Missile Systems

An illustration of a Taiwanese F-16 fighter jet shadowing a Chinese H-6 bomber. (Wikimedia Commons/軍事新聞通訊社)

JAKARTA - Taiwan on Sunday reported the biggest attack since October by China's air force on its air defense zone, with the island's Defense Ministry saying Taiwanese fighters rushed to alert 39 aircraft in the latest escalation of tensions.

Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has complained for more than a year of repeated missions by China's air force near the democratically-ruled island, often in the southwest part of the air defense identification zone (ADIZ), close to the Taiwan-Pratas Island that has been occupied.

Taiwan calls China's repeated military activity nearby a 'grey zone', designed to undermine Taiwan's power by making them repeatedly scramble, and also to test Taiwan's response.

The latest Chinese mission includes 34 warplanes plus four electronic warfare aircraft and one bomber, Taiwan's ministry said. The planes were flying in an area northeast of Pratas, according to a map provided by the ministry.

Taiwan air defense identification zone map. (Wikimedia Commons/Maximilian Dörrbecker)

In response to the Chinese warplanes, Taiwan sent warplanes to warn Chinese aircraft, while missile systems were deployed to monitor them, the ministry said.

There was no immediate comment from China, which has in the past said such measures are exercises aimed at protecting the country's sovereignty, citing Reuters Jan. 23.

China has been increasing pressure on Taiwan to accept its sovereignty claims. Meanwhile, Taiwan's government says it wants peace but will defend itself if attacked.

It was not clear what might have prompted Sunday's activity. China often coincides with visits by high-ranking foreign officials to Taiwan, or on certain important dates.

Earlier, Taiwan reported 148 Chinese air force aircraft in the south and southwest of its air defense zone over a four-day period starting on October 1, the same day China marks a major patriotic holiday, National Day.

So far, Taiwan has reported nearly daily China's air force entry into the same airspace since then, but the number of planes on Sunday was the largest in a single day since the October attack.

No shots were fired and the Chinese aircraft were not flying in Taiwanese airspace, but in its ADIZ, a wider area was monitored and Taiwanese patrols acted to give more time to respond to any threats.