Taipei, Taiwan
CNN
—
China sent 28 fighter jets across the central line of the Taiwan Strait on Sunday, and Beijing conducted its first large-scale military exercises around the island this year, Taiwan’s defense ministry said.
The 28 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft were one of 57 found near Taiwan, consisting of J-10, J-11, J-16, Su-30 fighters, H-6 Bomber, 3 drones, early patrol/reconnaissance aircraft.
Taiwan has deployed aircraft, naval vessels and land-based missile systems to respond to Chinese activity, the ministry said.
A map provided by the ministry shows Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft crossing the Central Line at seven points north and south, passing Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) to the south of the island, and heading east of the Central Line. Slightly turned north.
According to a statement from the People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command, the People’s Liberation Army engaged in combat exercises around Taiwan on Sunday.
According to the statement released, “the exercise will focus on land-based attacks, sea-based attacks, and other challenges, testing the combined combat capabilities of the armed forces, and combating the collusion and provocations of outside forces and ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces.” It was intended to be resolutely countered by the state-run Chinese military online.
China’s ruling Communist Party considers Taiwan, a democratically ruled island of 24 million people, to be part of its own territory, even though it has never ruled it. It has long promised to “reunify” mainland China and the islands.
The combat exercise followed a similar exercise on December 25, when the PLA sent 47 aircraft out of a total of 71 spotted around the island to the central line of the Taiwan Strait, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense.
China’s military exercises took place on Sunday, three days after a US Navy destroyer passed through the Taiwan Strait in a “freedom of navigation” operation. It is the first voyage reported by the US Navy this year.
USS Chung-Hoon “traversed a Strait corridor beyond the territorial waters of any littoral state,” said a statement from the U.S. 7th Fleet, which said the passage “shows U.S. commitment to a free and open India.” ‘ added. Pacific. ”
China said it was monitoring the movements of U.S. warships and that all such movements were “under control.”
According to an article in the state-run Global Times, the People’s Liberation Army will step up military exercises around Taiwan if provocations from outside forces or “Taiwan independence” forces continue.
A Global Times article cited a US destroyer passing through the Taiwan Strait and a possible $180 million US arms sale to Taiwan approved by the Biden administration on December 28.
According to a State Department statement, the sale of the vehicle-launched anti-tank munitions deployment system “will serve the United States by supporting the recipient’s continued efforts to modernize its armed forces and maintain a credible defense capability.” It serves social, economic and security interests.”
Washington has provided arms to Taiwan under the terms of the Taiwan Relations Act.