600 Chinese warplanes spotted in Taiwan's air defence zone this year: Reports

Taiwan has documented more than 600 Chinese sorties inside its air defence identification zone (ADIZ) so far this year. The intrusion on October 4 was the fourth in a row by Chinese aircraft, with about 150 aircraft deployed into Taiwan's defence zone. After a record number of Chinese warplanes entered Taiwan's air defence zone, Taiwan urged Beijing to stop its "irresponsible provocative actions."

According to a report given to the Legislative Yuan on October 5, Chinese military aircraft began flying inside Taiwan's ADIZ in March 2019. News agency ANI reported, quoting Taiwan News, that there were 380 incursions in the southwest portion of Taiwan's ADIZ.

Largest incursions by PLA

At least 58 Chinese warplanes were spotted in Taiwan's Air Identification Zone (ADIZ), with 20 of them flying in on October 2 and 38 on October 1.

According to the official Twitter handle of Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 38 Chinese military planes, including fighter jets and bombers, reached the area on October 1. Twenty-five PLA warplanes entered the ADIZ's southwestern part during the day on October 1, while another 13 planes entered the island's southwest ADIZ at night, according to the ministry.

These are the largest intrusions by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) since Taipei began publicly publicising such acts last year. Taiwanese military jets were dispatched on both days, according to Kyodo News, to warn Chinese aircraft away. The flights, according to some observers, could be interpreted as a warning to Taiwan's president ahead of the island's National Day.

China-Taiwan conflict

Beijing has increased its grey-zone tactics by sending planes into Taiwan's ADIZ on a regular basis since mid-September last year, with the majority of incidents occurring in the zone's southwest corner and usually consisting of one to three slow-flying turboprop planes.

Despite the fact that the two sides have been ruled separately for more than seven decades, Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan, a democracy with almost 24 million inhabitants located off the southern coast of mainland China.

Taipei, on the other hand, has resisted Chinese aggression by strengthening strategic connections with democracies, especially the United States, which Beijing has consistently opposed. China has warned that "Taiwanese independence" will result in war.

On June 1, Chinese President Xi Jinping swore to complete reunification with self-ruled Taiwan and vowed to crush any moves by the island to gain official independence.

(With inputs from ANI, Image: AP)