Frustrated China steps up warship and fighter plane activity around Taiwan
China has sent a carrier strike group and dozens of warplanes into the region around Taiwan in one of its biggest operations in months. The activity comes as Beijing accuses the US and Canada of “inciting conflict” by sailing through the Taiwan Strait, and as Xi Jinping calls for “comprehensive” military combat readiness of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
The Republic of China military, which uses Taiwan’s formal name, on Monday said a Chinese carrier strike group passed 111km to the south-east of the island on its way to the western Pacific for training. It said 11 Chinese warplanes were detected in Taiwan’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ) since 5am. They added to 26 planes and 13 ships detected around Taiwan in the previous 24 hours, one of the biggest daily totals since July.
The PLA strike group was being led by the aircraft carrier Shandong, but it was not clear what exercises it was taking part in.
In recent years the PLA has greatly increased its military targeting of Taiwan, which the Chinese Communist party considers to be a province of China and threatens to “reunify” by force. Taiwan’s government and people overwhelmingly reject the prospect of Chinese rule. Warplanes and ships of the PLA have been sent into the ADIZ on a near daily basis, although recent weeks have been quieter with several active typhoons passing through the region.
