China deployed defensive weaponry to monitor China’s operations after flying 18 airplanes into Taiwan’s defense zone on Friday to conduct military maneuvers.
The Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense announced in a tweet on Friday that 18 People’s Liberation Army planes had entered Taiwan’s southwest Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense issued radio alerts and deployed air defense missile systems to monitor the actions after stating that Chinese airplanes had entered the country’s air defense zone.
The news was released on Friday, amid rising tensions between China and Taiwan. China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has urged other countries, including the United States, to avoid having any official ties with Taiwan. Taiwan, on the other hand, believes itself separate from China.
18 PLA aircraft (Y-8 ASW, KJ-500 AEW&C*2, H-6*2, J-11*6, Y-8 EW and J-16*6) entered #Taiwan’s southwest ADIZ on May 6, 2022. Please check our official website for more information: https://t.co/KXaD0oacG7 pic.twitter.com/1qNVY3BTip
— 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, R.O.C. 🇹🇼 (@MoNDefense) May 6, 2022
According to Al Jazeera, the 18 Chinese planes that flew into Taiwan’s air defense zone on Friday were the second largest in the zone’s history. 39 Chinese airplanes went into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone earlier this year. According to Al Jazeera, Taiwan’s ADIZ is distinct from the country’s airspace since part of it overlaps with China’s own ADIZ.
Several US legislators, including Senator Lindsey Graham, came to Taiwan in April to meet with President Tsai Ing-wen, drawing Chinese condemnation. China launched a military drill near Taiwan in reaction to the summit.
In reaction to military maneuvers near Taiwan, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhao Lijian stated, “The relevant moves by the Chinese army are a countermeasure to the U.S. negative actions recently, including the lawmakers’ visit to Taiwan,”
On April 26, a few days later, the U.S. The USS Sampson cruiser was dispatched to the Taiwan Strait for a “routine” military drill.
“The ship’s transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The United States military flies, sails, and operates anywhere international law allows,” the US military said in a statement. On April 26, the Navy’s 7th Fleet issued a statement.
In the midst of the current conflict between Ukraine and Russia, Japan’s Prime Minister warned on Thursday that Taiwan and China may face a similar situation.
