Taiwan detects 22 China jets after Blinken leaves Beijing
Taiwan’s defence ministry says the aircraft were involved in ‘joint combat readiness patrols’ with Chinese warships, adding that Taiwanese aircraft and ships responded ‘appropriately’
Taiwan reported renewed Chinese military activity near the island on Saturday with 12 aircraft crossing the sensitive median line of the Taiwan Strait, a day after US Secretary State Antony Blinken ended a visit to China.
The United States is Taiwan’s most important international supporter and arms supplier despite the absence of formal diplomatic ties.
Blinken said he had stressed the “critical importance” of maintaining peace and stability across the strait while in China.
Democratically governed Taiwan has faced increased military pressure from China, which views the island as its own territory. Taiwan’s government rejects those claims.
Taiwan’s defence ministry said that from 9:30 am (0130 GMT) on Saturday it had detected 22 Chinese military aircraft, including Su-30 fighters, of which 12 had crossed the median line to Taiwan’s north and centre.
The line once served as an unofficial border between the two sides over which neither sides’ military crossed, but China’s air force now regularly sends aircraft over it. China says it does not recognise the line’s existence. Taiwan’s defence ministry said the aircraft were involved in “joint combat readiness patrols” with Chinese warships, adding that Taiwanese aircraft and ships responded “appropriately.” It did not give details.
China’s defence ministry did not answer calls seeking comment outside of office hours on Saturday.
Taiwan’s armed forces are well-equipped and well-trained but dwarfed by those of China’s, especially the navy and air force, which respond almost daily to Chinese missions.
China considers Taiwan the most important issue in its relations with the United States, and Beijing has repeatedly demanded Washington end weapons sales to Taiwan.
Taiwan President-elect Lai Ching-te takes office on May 20 after winning January’s election. Beijing considers him a dangerous separatist and has rebuffed his repeated calls for talks.
Lai said on Thursday that China should have the confidence to talk to Taiwan’s legally elected government.
Like outgoing President Tsai Ing-wen, Lai says only Taiwan’s people can decide their future.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin shrugged off a trip to China by Blinken during which he raised concerns about Chinese support for Russia’s military, saying Moscow and Beijing would continue to develop their own ties.
Despite its “no limits” partnership with Moscow, China has steered clear of providing arms for Russia’s war in Ukraine, but Blinken said its supply of so-called dual-use goods was “having a material effect in Ukraine.”
China has said it has not provided weaponry to any party and is “not a producer of or party involved in the Ukraine crisis.” However, it says that normal trade between China and Russia should not be interrupted or restricted.
“China is an absolutely sovereign state, a powerful state that is able to defend and protect its interests,” Peskov told reporters when asked about Blinken’s trip and the US pressure on China.
“At the same time, it (China) is our close partner. We will further develop our cooperation.”
Earlier, Blinken has said that he renewed calls for China to exert its influence to press North Korea to cease its “dangerous” activities and return to dialogue during his talks with top Chinese officials in Beijing.
“I encouraged China to use its influence to discourage Iran and its proxies from expanding the conflict in the Middle East, and to press Pyongyang to end its dangerous behaviour and engage in dialogue,” Blinken said. “Going forward, we will have high-level discussions on these and other issues.”
Pyongyang has been ratcheting up tensions with recent menacing weapons tests, including a “super-large” warhead power test for a strategic cruise missile and the launch of an intermediate-range missile tipped with a hypersonic warhead.
Blinken restated America’s “enduring” commitment to the “complete” denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula while in Beijing, according to Matthew Miller, the spokesperson for the State Department.