2 Chinese warplanes enter Taiwan air-defence zone
May 24, 2021
Taipei [Taiwan], May 24 : Taiwan has said that two Chinese military aircraft entered its air defence identification zone (ADIZ) on Sunday, marking the 15th such intrusion this month.
This comes as tensions in the Taiwan Strait are escalating.
According to Taiwan Defence Ministry, a People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Shaanxi Y-8 electronic warfare plane and Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare aircraft flew into the southwest corner of the ADIZ.
In response, Taiwan sent aircraft, broadcast radio warnings, and deployed air defence missile systems to track the two planes.
The new incursion comes after the United States and South Korea agreed to cooperate on the Taiwan Strait issue, amid rising tensions in the 180-km wide waterways.
US President Joe Biden and South Korean President Moon Jae-in held a bilateral summit on Friday, Taiwan News reported.
At the post-summit press conference, Biden said the two talked about issues vital to regional stability, such as maintaining freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and upholding peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, according to a joint statement.
Regarding Taiwan, Moon said, "We've shared the view that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are extremely important, and we agreed to work together on that matter while considering special characteristics in relations between China and Taiwan," Reuters cited him as saying.
This focus on the strait comes after China ramped up political pressure and military threats against Taiwan, with almost daily incursions into Taipei's air defence identification zone.
The Taiwan Strait is a 180-kilometre-wide strait separating the island of Taiwan and continental Asia. It is one of the most heavily policed strips of water in the world, patrolled by both Chinese and Taiwanese navy and coastguard vessels.
The strait is in international waters, however, China claims Taiwan as its own territory and regards the US Navy's presence in the area as a show of support for the island's democratic government.
On Wednesday, a Beijing-backed think-tank -- China Cross-Strait Academy -- released a report on relations across the Taiwan Strait that separates mainland China from Taiwan, South China Morning Post reported.
The think tank said the risk of armed conflict is an "all-time high" as tension escalates in the region.
