© Associated Press
– Taiwanese F-16 and Chinese H-6. The photo is archival
The United States issued a warning after China sent more than 100 military planes to Taiwan’s air defense identification zone in three days, days before its national holiday on Sunday.
The island, which China considers part of its territory and has been threatening to retake for decades, speaks to the increase in similar Chinese air force missions in recent years, often southwest of the area, near the Pratas Islands, which Taiwan controls. Since Friday, more than 30 military planes have been sent – mostly American and Soviet, but also capable of carrying Chinese H-6 bombers.
State Department spokesman Ned Price called Beijing to “stop its military, diplomatic and economic coercion” and “destabilizing its activities” against Taiwan. According to Price, Washington will not stop helping the island maintain “sufficient self-defense capabilities” because of its interest in peace and security in the Taiwan Strait.
The operation coincided with China’s national holiday, celebrated on Friday (since China’s proclamation as a people’s republic on October 1, 1949).
Recognized by few countries as an independent Taiwan is located at the northern end of the so-called. Indo-Pacific region – a vast territory stretching from the coast of Southeast Africa to Oceania. This is the region for which The United States, Britain and Australia have announced a new partnership (now known as AUKUS) in defense, artificial intelligence and others, angered France and considered directed against China. Also, in recent times, US officials have increasingly spoken of growing concerns that China could invade Taiwan – something considered unthinkable.
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Beijing has said in the past that it aims to protect its sovereignty from an “agreement” between Taiwan and the United States.
With the recent activity in the Taiwanese ADIZ, I plotted out the last ~3 months’ worth of incursions, with data grouped by week. This shows a pattern leading up to the last few days. Data sourced from @MoNDefense. pic.twitter.com/n0sACNf7YZ
– Amelia (@ameliairheart) October 2, 2021
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President Xi Jinping has said that Taiwan’s accession to the People’s Republic of China is “inevitable.”
China has recently stepped up a campaign to use military and political means to persuade Taiwan to recognize that it is part of the Asian giant.
The unprecedented Chinese action over the weekend can be illustrated by various studies, which show that incursions into Taiwan’s defense zone have visibly increased since the summer – from just a few weeks in June (except for one week by almost 40) to an average of 10 in August and over 30 in some weeks in September.
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