Taiwan MoD says detected 35 Chinese warplanes around island

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
13 Sep 2023 09:31

Taipei's Defense Ministry claims around 28 planes crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait.

This undated handout photo released by the Taiwan Defense Ministry on September 13, 2023, shows Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong (L) while being monitored by a Taiwanese Keelung class warship at sea (Taiwan Defense Ministry)

Taiwan claimed on Wednesday it had detected 35 Chinese warplanes around the island in a few hours, with some flying to the Western Pacific to join China's Shandong aircraft carrier for "joint sea and air training."

The batch of aircraft including fighters and drones were detected since 6:00 am Wednesday (2200 GMT Tuesday), Taipei's Defense Ministry said.

Around 28 planes crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, and some fighters "passed through the Bashi Channel to the Western Pacific to conduct joint sea and air training with the Shandong aircraft carrier," the Ministry said in a statement.

"The armed forces have monitored the situation and tasked air patrol aircraft, Navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond to these activities," the Taiwanese Defense Ministry indicated.

The Ministry said Tuesday it detected 22 warplanes and 20 naval ships around Taiwan between Monday and Tuesday morning.

The overflights came after the Shandong carrier was detected on Monday around 60 nautical miles (111 kilometers) southeast of the island's southernmost point heading into the Western Pacific.

On Saturday, China announced that its troops were "on constant high alert" after a US destroyer and a Canadian frigate sailed through the Taiwan Strait. The US Navy said the ships were the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson and HMCS Ottawa, claiming that the transit "demonstrates the commitment of the United States and our allies and partners to a free and open Indo-Pacific."

It is noteworthy that China views Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to return the island under its control.