The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has recently increased its military intrusions into Taiwan. In less than a month, the CCP sent a record 20 sorties of military aircraft to intrude into Taiwan’s southwestern airspace on a single day on March 26. Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense reported on Monday (April 5) that 10 sorties of Chinese military aircraft intruded into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone that day, with one of the aircraft flying over the strategically important Bus Strait (Bashi Channel).
According to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense, on Monday, the Chinese Air Force intruded into Taiwan’s airspace with four J-16 and J-10 sorties each, one Air Marshal-500 sortie, and one Transport-8 anti-submarine aircraft. After entering Taiwan’s southwest airspace in the “air defense identification zone,” the transport-8 anti-submarine aircraft flew towards the Bus Strait and returned after circling around the outskirts of Taiwan’s southeast airspace. The Taiwan Air Force dispatched air patrol troops to respond, broadcast repulsions, and air defense missiles to chase and monitor the aircraft.
This is the third consecutive day that Chinese military aircraft have disturbed Taiwan since April 3. Reuters reported that there was no immediate response from the Chinese Communist Party’s Ministry of National Defense.
The Bus Strait is in Taiwan’s southeastern airspace. Past activities by Chinese Communist Party military aircraft have been concentrated in southwest Taiwan airspace. The Bus Strait connects the South China Sea to the Pacific Ocean and is a major international waterway between Taiwan and the Bataan Islands in the northern Philippines. The strategic importance of the Bus Strait lies in its role as an important waterway along the first island chain.
The Chinese navy enters the western Pacific Ocean through the Bus Strait and the Miyako Strait. That area is surrounded by the Japanese military base in Naha and the U.S. military base in Guam. The U.S. Navy’s Seventh Fleet and Japan’s Self-Defense Forces regularly conduct training exercises in the Strait of Bastille and Miyako.
The Chinese Communist Party claims sovereignty over Taiwan and its surrounding waters, and that war patrols by the Chinese military are fully justified and legal. Taiwan said that Taiwan has never been a part of the People’s Republic of China, and the “Republic of China on Taiwan” is a sovereign state.
According to information released by Japan’s Defense Ministry on Sunday (April 4), the aircraft carrier Liaoning of the Chinese Communist Navy, accompanied by five frigates, sailed through the Miyako Strait toward the Pacific Ocean. Previously, the Liaoning formation has passed through the Miyako Strait several times into the Pacific Ocean for long-distance training.
Analysts believe that the entry of Chinese Communist military aircraft into the airspace southeast of Taiwan has more political significance than military significance, as warplanes need air refueling to fly southeast of Taiwan. Analysts suggest that the ROC military should pay attention to the aerial refueling capability of “communist” aircraft in the future, as well as whether the Chinese navy is using carrier-based aircraft to escort bombers and carry out intrusions on Taiwan.
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