Eight bombers and four fighter jets entered the Taiwan Air Defense Identification Zone from the south on Saturday (January 23), prompting the Taiwan Air Force to deploy its anti-missile system, the defense minister said. the island.
A map provided by the ministry showed the planes overflying an area between the southern part of Taiwan and the Pratas Islands, which are controlled by Taiwan, in the South China Sea.
They were still a long way from the main island.
If this type of incident is relatively common, the presence of so many fighter jets in a single mission - Taiwan estimates that these are eight H-6K nuclear bombers and four J-16 fighter jets - is unusual.
A not trivial calendar
China did not comment.
In the past, she explained that she conducted defense exercises for the security and sovereignty of the country.
Beijing looks with concern at U.S. support for Taiwan, which has grown under the Trump administration.
The mission in the South China Sea takes place two days after Joe Biden's inauguration as President.
Taiwan, which enjoys a democratic system, lives under constant threat from China, which considers this territory as a rebel province called upon to one day return to its fold, by force if necessary.
With Reuters and AFP
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