Taiwan scrambles jets as China air force holds drill near island

Senior Taiwan politician visits China, says people want peace

Taiwan sent aircraft yesterday to shadow Chinese air force fighter jets as they flew through the Bashi Channel to the south of the island, its defence ministry said, the latest such incident to add to tension between Taipei and Beijing.

China sent an unspecified number of Xian H-6 bombers, Su-30 fighter jets and Y-8 transport aircraft over the waterway on their way to the West Pacific Ocean, the Taiwan ministry said. They were followed by Taiwan jets until the mainland aircraft returned to base, it said in a statement.

Taiwan on March 21 sent ships and aircraft to shadow a Chinese aircraft carrier group that sailed through the narrow Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan is one of China’s most sensitive issues and a potential military flashpoint.

The Chinese military movements come during a time of heightened tension between Beijing and the self-governed island and follows strong warnings by Chinese President Xi Jinping against Taiwan separatism.

Opposed to independence

Meeting New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu in Shanghai yesterday, the newly appointed head of China’s policy-making Taiwan Affairs Office, Liu Jieyi, said China was clear in its opposition to Taiwan independence, Chinese state television said. China hopes both sides of the Taiwan Strait can work together for the peaceful development of relations and “jointly promote the process of the peaceful reunification of the motherland”, Liu told Chu, state television added.

The New Taipei City government said in a statement that Chu, from the China-friendly opposition Nationalist Party, told Liu they hoped for peaceful cooperation.