Taipei:
Taiwan’s air force scrambled on Friday to warn away 10 Chinese aircraft that entered its air defence zone, Taiwan’s defence ministry stated, the day right after the island announced a $9 billion enhance to military spending to counter the threat from China.
Chinese-claimed Taiwan has complained for a year or more of repeated missions by China’s air force close to the democratically governed island, frequently in the southwestern component of its air defence zone close to the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands.
The most up-to-date Chinese mission involved 6 J-16 and 2 J-11 fighters plus one anti-submarine and one reconnaissance aircraft, the Taiwan ministry stated.
Taiwan sent combat aircraft to warn away the Chinese aircraft, although missile systems had been deployed to monitor them, the ministry stated.
The Chinese fighters flew in an location close to the Pratas, although the anti-submarine and reconnaissance aircraft flew into the Bashi Channel that separates Taiwan from the Philippines, according to a map that the ministry issued.
There was no instant comment from China.
The incident came a day right after Taiwan proposed added defence spending of $8.69 billion more than the next 5 years, like on new missiles, warning of an urgent have to have to upgrade weapons in the face of a “severe threat” from China.
Speaking earlier on Friday, Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang stated the government had to take the threat from China seriously.
“The Chinese Communists plot against us constantly,” he stated.
Taiwan’s defence spending “is based on safeguarding national sovereignty, national security, and national security. We must not relax. We must have the best preparations so that no war will occur”, he added.
China’s government, for its component, criticised Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu on Friday for comments this week in which he stated Taiwan was a “sea fortress” blocking China’s expansion into the Pacific.
Wu’s “aim is to deceive public opinion, to rope in and collude with anti-China foreign forces”, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office stated in statement.
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