Taiwan reports China’s largest incursion yet to air defense zone

Seventy-one Chinese air force aircraft including fighter jets and drones entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone prior to now 24 hours, the island’s government said on Monday, the biggest reported incursion to this point.

Of the aircraft, 43 also crossed the Taiwan Strait’s median line, an unofficial buffer between the 2 sides that lies throughout the defense zone, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said in a report, as Beijing continues military activities near the Chinese-claimed island.

Taiwan’s official Central News Agency said it was the biggest Chinese air force incursion to this point, although there was no sense of alarm on the island, which has witnessed a gentle increase in Chinese pressure in recent times.

China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, said it had conducted “strike drills” in the ocean and airspace around Taiwan on Sunday in response to what it said was provocation from the democratically governed island and america.

Taiwan, which strongly rejects China’s sovereignty claims, said the drills showed Beijing was destroying regional peace and attempting to intimidate Taiwan’s people.

The office of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said Tsai will call a high-level national security meeting on Tuesday morning to debate reinforcing the island’s civil defense system, followed by a press conference on latest civil defense measures.

The statement gave no details, however the defense ministry has said it was considering extending compulsory military service beyond 4 months, because the war in Ukraine and rising tensions with Beijing renewed discussion about easy methods to reply to Chinese military pressure.

“The more preparations we make, the less likely there might be rash attempts of aggression. The more united we’re, the stronger and safer Taiwan would turn into,” Tsai told a military ceremony on Monday.

In the course of the latest incursion, several Chinese planes, mostly fighter jets, briefly crossed the median line within the sensitive Taiwan Strait before returning to China, in accordance with a map provided by Taiwan’s defense ministry. Seven Chinese navy ships were also detected near Taiwan, the ministry said.

China’s military also sent early warning, electronic-warfare and antisubmarine aircraft, in addition to drones, into Taiwan’s southern air defense identification zone, or ADIZ, in accordance with the report, which detailed Chinese activities near Taiwan over the 24 hours to six a.m. (2200 GMT on Sunday).

Taipei has complained of repeated missions by the Chinese air force during the last two years, often in southern areas of its ADIZ.

Taiwan sent unspecified combat aircraft to warn away the Chinese planes, while missile systems monitored their flight, the ministry said, using standard wording for its response.

China has stepped up its diplomatic, military and economic pressure in recent times on the self-governed island to just accept Beijing’s rule. Taiwan’s government says it wants peace but will defend itself if attacked.