Taiwan's air force warns about 18 Chinese aircraft that entered its air defence zone. Taiwan has complained of repeated such missions by Chinese aircraft, which have become a common occurrence over the past two years or so.
Â
Taiwan’s defence ministry said the latest mission included six Chinese J-11 and six J-16 fighters as well as two H-6 bombers. The bombers, accompanied by a Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft, flew to the south of Taiwan through the Bashi Channel which separates the island from the Philippines.
Â
The other aircraft flew over an area to the northeast of the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands at the top end of the South China Sea, according to a ministry map. While China’s Defence Ministry has not commented, it has previously described such missions as to defend the country's sovereignty and to counter “collusion” with foreign forces, a veiled reference to U.S. support for Taiwan.
Â
Taiwan is currently in a high-alert state due to fears China could use Russia's invasion of Ukraine to make a similar military move on the island. China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, and the Taiwan Strait remains a potentially dangerous military flashpoint.
