CHINA has sent 24 fighter jets towards Taiwan in another terrifying wave of war games.
The display of force comes after the self-governing island announced its intention to join an 11-nation Pacific trade group that Beijing has also applied to join.
China first sent 19 war planes into Taiwan airspace yesterday before sending five more in a second surge later the same day, sparking fears of World War 3.
Taiwan deployed air patrol forces in response to the jets and tracked them on its air defense systems, the island’s Defense Ministry said in a statement.
The Chinese aircraft included 12 J-16 fighters and two nuclear-capable H-6 bombers, the ministry said.
Beijing has sent different aircrafts including fighter jets, spotter planes, and bombers into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) every day this month, except for September 2.
China has been ramping up its gray zone tactics for the past year by routinely sending aircraft into the zone.
It stepped up its military harassment of the self-ruled island and has sent large displays of fighter jets after political events which it views as interfering with its sovereignty.
Taiwan and China split during a civil war in 1949, but China continues to claim Taiwan as part of its territory. Beijing opposes Taiwan’s involvement in international organizations.
Taiwan announced Thursday that it applied to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, setting up another potential clash with Beijing.
China’s military sent 18 planes toward Taiwan last year when a top U.S. diplomat visited the island and met with officials there.
In June, it sent 28 warplanes after leaders of the Group of Seven industrialized nations issued a statement calling for a peaceful resolution of cross-Taiwan Strait issues.
2
We pay for your stories!
Do you have a story for The Sun news desk?