More than 100 Chinese warplanes were detected around Taiwan over 24 hours, with 40 crossing the median line separating the self-governing island from China. That’s a “recent high,” the Defense Ministry said Monday. The ministry says the planes included fighter jets and midair refueling tanker aircraft, and some flew into Taiwan’s southwest and southeast air defense identification zones (ADIZ). Nine Chinese naval ships were also spotted in the area.
The ministry says the incursions clearly threaten aviation safety and regional stability, as they could cause confusion for civilian aircraft. It says the Chinese military is trying to intimidate the island and show its might. The ministry also warns that the situation in the area is complex and dynamic and calls on all parties to exercise restraint and maintain peace and stability.
Beijing claims Taiwan as its territory to be seized one day, by force if necessary, and has ramped up diplomatic and military pressure in recent years as relations have soured. It accuses the government in Taipei of seeking independence, which the island denies. The government in Taipei has warned of severe consequences if China attempts to change the status quo by force.
Experts say the latest activity is likely part of a more extensive campaign by China to influence Taiwan’s presidential election in January. Officials in Taipei say Beijing wants to sway voters to support a candidate that leans toward formal independence. They say China is also stepping up activities as a warning to any Taiwanese seeking to work with the mainland.
Analysts believe that if the current tense situation continues, it could lead to cross-strait conflicts. They say this would be bad for global economic growth and trade, which depend heavily on the open sea lanes of the Asia-Pacific region.
Last week, Taiwan detected exercises involving the Chinese Navy’s Shandong aircraft carrier in the western Pacific. The People’s Liberation Army, Eastern Theatre Command, said the drills were to test the forces’ ship-aircraft coordination, seizing control, and anti-submarine abilities. It said they were a “serious warning against Taiwan independence separatist forces colluding with external forces to provoke.”
A former senior director for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia at the U.S. Defense Department says the Chinese military’s activities are not illegal under international law. Still, they may be an attempt to scare Taiwan and try to flex its muscle. He says if the PLA conducted a genuine military drill, it would be more cautious and take less aggressive positions than recently. The expert also said that he didn’t think Beijing was necessarily hoping for a response from Taiwan, and it might be more interested in getting the world to pay attention to the drills. The latest activity comes a day after an explosion at a Taiwan military base wounded nine soldiers, two seriously. The military has launched an investigation into the incident.
