Intimidation Of Taiwan, China Deploys 24 Fighter Jets To Bombers To Defense Identification Zone

Illustration of Chinese fighter jets in flying formation. (Wikimedia Commons/N509FZ)

JAKARTA - Taiwan accused China of "intimidation" after Beijing sent a total of 24 warplanes to its air defense identification zone (ADIZ), the third-largest attack in two years.

People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, including bombers, fighter jets, anti-submarine aircraft and airborne early warning and control aircraft, entered Taiwan's ADIZ in two groups of 19 and 5 aircraft, respectively.

A map released by Taiwan's Ministry of Defense shows several Chinese warplanes, including H-6 bombers, flying around the southern part of Taiwan and heading east of the island.

In response, Taiwan's Ministry of Defense said a radio alert was issued and an air defense missile system was deployed to monitor the activity.

The attack did not violate Taiwan's sovereign airspace, which stretches 12 nautical miles from its coast. The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) defines an ADIZ as "a designated area of airspace over land or water, where a country requires the immediate and positive identification, location and air traffic control of aircraft in the interests of that country's national security."

The air infiltration came a day after Taiwan formally submitted its application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) free trade pact. China's Foreign Ministry signaled its strong opposition to the Taiwan application.

"We firmly oppose official exchanges between any country and Taiwan territory, and firmly oppose Taiwan's accession to any treaties or organizations of an official nature," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian.

Taiwan and mainland China have been ruled separately since the end of a civil war more than seven decades ago, in which defeated Nationalists fled to Taipei.

However, Beijing views Taiwan as part and parcel of its territory, even though the Chinese Communist Party has never ruled the democratic island of about 24 million people.

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs repeated this on Thursday evening after the flight of the PLA fighter plane.

"Taiwan is Taiwan, and it is not part of the People's Republic of China. The People's Republic of China has never ruled Taiwan for a single day," the statement said.

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

Taiwan should be able to make its own choices in matters such as joining international trade agreements, the ministry added.

"The Chinese government only wants to bully Taiwan in the international community and is the culprit of rising tensions in cross-strait relations," the statement said.

Beijing claims otherwise, as Taipei has increased military purchases from the United States (US) and received indications of support from US Allies such as Japan.

Japan itself, when it released its annual defense white paper last July, made clear that stabilizing the situation around Taiwan is important for Japan's security.

To note, the highest number of daily air strikes reported by Taiwan occurred on June 15, when 28 Chinese military aircraft flew into Taiwan's ADIZ. Meanwhile, on April 12, 25 PLA aircraft entered Taiwan's ADIZ in one day.

However, the PLA almost every day attacks or enters Taiwan's ADIZ. For example, prior to Thursday's flight, there were two attacks on Wednesday, one on Monday, four on Sunday and 10 last Friday, according to Taiwan's Ministry of Defense.

Analysts said the PLA flights likely served several purposes for China, both demonstrating the PLA's power to a domestic audience, while providing Chinese intelligence and military skills that would be needed in a potential conflict involving Taiwan.

And, Chinese President Xi Jinping has refused to rule out military force to 'capture' Taiwan if necessary.

19 PLA aircraft (J-16*12, Y-8 ASW*2, H-6*2, Y-8 EW and J-11*2) entered #Taiwan's southwest ADIZ in the morning of September 23, 2021. Please check our official website for more information: https://t.co/c5EJJFhzKL pic.twitter.com/81fIdFbWFI

— Ministry of National Defense, ROC (@MoNDefense) September 23, 2021