China conducts military demonstration with 71 aircraft over Taiwan on Christmas

Chinese military J-16 fighter jet Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] China deployed 71 military aircraft around Taiwan on Christmas Day to conduct a show of force.

According to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense on the 26th, 71 Chinese military aircraft were detected operating around Taiwan for 24 hours starting from 6 a.m. the previous day, of which 47 crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait or entered the Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

Additionally, seven Chinese naval vessels continued to operate around the Taiwan Strait during the same period.

The number of Chinese military aircraft detected around the Taiwan Strait in one day is the highest this year, according to Taiwan's Liberty Times. The previous record was 68 aircraft on August 5, shortly after U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan.

The show of force around Taiwan involved 18 J-16 fighters, 12 J-11 fighters, 6 J-10 fighters, and 6 SU-30 fighters from the Chinese military, along with one Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft and one Y-8 electronic warfare aircraft.

Regarding this show of force, Sui, spokesperson for the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army responsible for Taiwan, announced on the official WeChat account on the 25th that "various military branches organized joint operational patrols and joint strike exercises in the sea and airspace around Taiwan Island."

Sui also stated, "This is a resolute response to the collusion and provocation escalation between the United States and Taiwan," implying that the exercises were a countermeasure against the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes financial support for Taiwan's purchase of U.S. weapons.

In Beijing's diplomatic circles, the financial support for arms transactions with Taiwan included in the National Defense Authorization Act is interpreted as containing elements that could bring qualitative changes to U.S.-Taiwan military cooperation, which has led China to express strong dissatisfaction.

Earlier, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) signed by U.S. President Joe Biden on the 23rd includes provisions to provide Taiwan with up to $1 billion annually, totaling $10 billion over five years starting next year, in the form of loans to be used for purchasing U.S.-made weapons. The United States established the Taiwan Relations Act in 1979 when it established diplomatic relations with China and severed ties with Taiwan, providing Taiwan with means of self-defense and grounds for intervention in case of emergency.

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