China air force circles Taiwan in ‘sacred mission’

Chinese aircraft have again lown around self-ruled Taiwan in what China’s air force on Thursday called a “sacred mission,” as Taiwan denounced its big neighbour over what it called a policy of military intimidation.

Taiwan, claimed by Beijing as Chinese territory, is one of China’s most sensitive issues and a potential military lashpoint.

China has ramped up military exercises around Taiwan in the past year, including lying bombers and other military aircraft around the island.

In a statement on its microblog, the Chinese air force said H-6K bombers had “recently” lown a patrol around Taiwan.

“The motherland is in our hearts, and the jewelled island is in the bosom of the motherland,” an H-6K captain, Zhai Peisong, was quoted as saying in the statement, using another name for Taiwan.

“Defending the beautiful rivers and mountains of the motherland is the sacred mission of air force pilots.”

Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said two Chinese H-6K bombers had lown around the island on Wednesday afternoon, passing irst through the Miyako Strait, to Taiwan’s northeast, then back to base via the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines.

Late on Wednesday, Chinese state media said the military had also conducted live-ire military drills with helicopters along its southeast coast after increasingly stern warnings by Beijing for Taiwan to toe the line, though the exercises were more low key than had been lagged in state media.

Taiwan’s China policy-making Mainland Affairs Council said the drills - which it described as routine and small scale - as well as the Chinese air force ly-by, amounted to “military intimidation.”