TAIPEI, Taiwan—Taiwan says that 27 Chinese aircraft entered its air defense buffer zone on Nov. 28, the latest in a long series of incursions as part of Beijing’s effort to put pressure on the self-ruled island.
The Taiwan Defense Ministry said it scrambled combat aircraft to “warn” the Chinese planes to leave Taiwanese airspace. It also deployed missile systems to monitor them. The Nov. 28 incursion included 18 fighter jets and five H-6 bombers, as well as a Y-20 aerial refueling aircraft, according to the ministry.
The Chinese aircraft flew into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone near the southern part of the island and out into the Pacific Ocean before returning to China, according to a map produced by Taiwanese authorities.
Over the past year, the frequency of Chinese incursions into Taiwanese airspace has increased, including about 150 aircraft over a period of four days.
China’s air force mission toward Taiwan came as Chinese leader Xi Jinping met with officers at a military conference, where he called for military talent cultivation to support and strengthen the armed forces, according to state-owned media outlet Xinhua.
Xi said talent is imperative in achieving victory in military competition and gaining the upper hand in future wars, according to Xinhua.
The Chinese communist regime claims democratically ruled Taiwan as its own territory and has threatened to bring the island under its control by force if necessary.
Taiwan is a de facto independent country, with its own military, democratically elected government, and constitution. The Chinese regime refuses to recognize the island’s government and has increasingly sought to isolate the administration of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.
Taiwan and China split during a civil war in 1949, and Beijing opposes Taiwan’s involvement in international organizations.
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