Taiwan conducts drill amid Beijing’s intrusions
Taiwan conducted an air defense test on Tuesday morning, deploying United States-made Patriot missiles and its antiaircraft artillery systems, saying it would ramp up training in the face of Chinese military “intrusions” around the self-ruled island.
Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has said it will not rule out using force to bring the island under its control.
Chinese warplanes and ships maintain a near-daily presence around the island, as Beijing has ramped up military pressure against Taipei using what experts say are “gray zone” actions, or tactics that stop short of outright acts of war.
Taiwan’s Air Force Command said it conducted an exercise between 5 and 7 a.m. that included the island’s domestically made Sky Bow and US-made Patriot surface-to-air missiles, along with army and navy units.
“The aim was to verify the command and control of joint air defense operations among the three branches of the military,” it said, adding that the exercise went smoothly.
“In the face of frequent intrusions by PLA aircraft and vessels into the airspace and waters surrounding Taiwan, the Air Force will continue to enhance training intensity to respond to potential threats,” the command said, using the acronym of the People’s Liberation Army, the Chinese military’s formal name.
Taiwan rejects Beijing’s claim over it, and its leader-elect — current deputy leader Lai Ching-te, who won the country’s election on January 13 — is regarded by China as a “dangerous separatist.”
Also on Tuesday, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said 13 Chinese aircraft and seven navy vessels were spotted around the island in the 24 hours leading up to 6 a.m.
Last week, Taiwan detected 36 Chinese military aircraft around the island in a 24-hour window, the highest single-day number this year so far.