Taiwan on high alert after Chinese air force drills

Taiwan’s military is on high alert after three straight days of drills by the PLA Air Force near the self-ruled island, Taiwan’s defence ministry said on Tuesday.

The People’s Liberation Army aircraft, which have included bombers and advanced fighter jets, have been staging exercises flying through the Bashi Channel that separates Taiwan from the Philippines and up to the north of Taiwan by Japan’s Miyako Island, according to Taiwan’s government.

Ministry spokesman Chen Chung-ji said PLA aircraft entered Taiwan’s air defence identification zone during their drills.

“Our air force and navy will stay on high alert to prevent them from intruding upon our territorial waters or airspace or even engaging in hostility,” Chen said.

“We’re experienced and have been doing this for a long time, and we ask our citizens to rest assured.

“We will of course take actions to avoid escalating any conflict throughout this process.”

Beijing has yet to comment on the exercises, though has in the past described them as routine.

The drills are the latest in a series of such exercises conducted by the PLA near Taiwan and Japan in the past several weeks.

Beijing has been increasingly asserting itself in territorial disputes in the South and East China seas. It is also worried about Taiwan, run by a government Beijing fears is intent on independence.

Beijing has never ruled out the use of force to bring proudly democratic Taiwan under its control, and has warned that any moves towards formal independence could prompt an armed response.

The PLA is in the midst of an ambitious military modernisation programme that includes building aircraft carriers and developing stealth fighters to give it the ability to project power far from its shores.

Taiwan is well armed with mostly US weaponry, but has been pressing Washington to sell it more hi-tech equipment to better deter the mainland.