China's Aerial Military Demonstration Over Taiwan... "Intended to Distance Allies"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] Bloomberg News reported on the 28th (local time) that China once again conducted a show of force involving strategic bombers in protest against the visit of a U.S. congressional delegation to Taiwan.

The Taiwan Ministry of National Defense stated that 27 Chinese military aircraft, including eight J-16 fighter jets, entered Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on the same day.

The fighters and bombers flew over the Bashi Channel between the Philippine Batan Islands and Taiwan's southeastern region. Taiwan responded by dispatching patrol aircraft and tracking with air defense missiles, according to the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense.

Foreign media reported that the fighters deployed that day included the large strategic bomber H-6, capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

China's state-run Central News Agency, citing the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense, highlighted that the Chinese military deployed the Y-20 aerial refueling aircraft for the first time since 2019, indicating efforts to send fighters farther away.

Joseph Wu, Taiwan's Foreign Minister, wrote on Twitter, "It is clear that the intention is to force Taiwan to surrender and to alienate democratic partners (allies)."

This provocation by China came after a recent visit by a U.S. House of Representatives delegation to Taiwan, where they held talks with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen.

It is also reported that a delegation of about 10 parliamentarians from the three Baltic Sea countries?Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia?will visit Taiwan early next month to attend a democracy forum and meet with President Tsai Ing-wen.

Bloomberg reported that this deployment of Chinese military aircraft is the largest since the early part of last month, when China conducted an aerial show of force by sending 52 fighters toward Taiwan during the National Day holiday.

At that time, on October 1, the National Day, the Chinese military sent 38 aircraft into Taiwan's ADIZ, followed by 39 aircraft on October 2, and 16 aircraft on October 3.

Chang Chun-hui, spokesperson for the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese military, stated, "Taiwan is an inseparable part of China's territory, and the Chinese military's patrols are legitimate and lawful," adding, "These actions are necessary to safeguard the safety of the Taiwan Strait and national sovereignty."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.