https://www.scmp.com/rss/311042/feed The Air Defense Identification Zone is airspace over land or water in which the ready identification, location, and control of civil aircraft over land or water is required in the interest of national security. China's Defence Ministry announced its ADIZ over a vast area in the East China Sea on November 23, 2013, which covers the area around the Diaoyu islands, controlled by Japan and known as the Senkaku Islands. The establishment of this zone drew strong opposition from Japan, the US and... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Liu Zhen Liu Zhen An aerial video released by Beijing during this week’s military exercise and featuring the Taipei 101 landmark in Taiwan has ignited a debate on how close PLA drones came to the heart of Taipei. The black-and-white drone footage, released by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theatre Command on Monday, shows an ascending passenger plane flying past Taipei 101, the city’s tallest skyscraper. A still image showing a panoramic view of the tower and surrounding landscape, including the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3338399/just-how-close-did-pla-drone-come-heart-taipei-during-drill?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3338399/just-how-close-did-pla-drone-come-heart-taipei-during-drill?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jan 2026 22:00:38 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi Military aircraft from China and Russia entered South Korea’s air defence zone without notification on Tuesday, prompting the deployment of fighter jets, the Korean military said. The nine aircraft appeared to be part of a joint patrol in the area, their first such exercise in more than 12 months. They did not violate Korean airspace, the country’s military command authority said. Hours later, the Chinese defence ministry said China and Russia had carried out their 10th joint strategic patrol in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3335775/2-chinese-7-russian-jets-enter-south-korean-air-defence-zone-near-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3335775/2-chinese-7-russian-jets-enter-south-korean-air-defence-zone-near-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 10:03:03 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan has accused Beijing of crossing a dangerous new line in its military intimidation campaign after People’s Liberation Army (PLA) warplanes closed in on a Taiwanese medical evacuation aircraft near the frontline islet of Quemoy earlier this year. In a statement on Tuesday, officials condemned the manoeuvre as an “irrational” act that endangered lives, undermined humanitarian rescue operations and posed a serious threat to flight safety. Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, which oversees... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3324961/taiwan-says-its-medical-evacuation-flight-was-intimidated-beijings-warplanes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3324961/taiwan-says-its-medical-evacuation-flight-was-intimidated-beijings-warplanes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Sep 2025 06:00:12 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China has unveiled a metre-wave radar that can detect American fifth-generation stealth fighters, such as the F-22 and F-35, according to state media. The JY-27V radar, which is mounted on a military truck for mobility, works with very high frequency (VHF) radio waves. It can capture and locate “extremely stealthy targets” and guide an air-defence system for a precision strike, according to its developer, state-owned China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC). It unveiled the JY-27V... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3311054/china-aims-new-jy-27v-radar-stealthy-targets-such-americas-fifth-gen-fighters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3311054/china-aims-new-jy-27v-radar-stealthy-targets-such-americas-fifth-gen-fighters?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 May 2025 10:02:07 +0000 China has accused two Philippine ships of violating its sovereignty last week after a collision with a Chinese vessel in disputed waters. Earlier the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) had accused the Chinese ship, which it said was part of a “maritime militia”, of “conducting dangerous manoeuvres and trying to block the path” of one of its patrol boats near the disputed Thitu island. In response, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said two “official vessels”... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3282500/china-accuses-philippine-ships-violating-sovereignty-after-spratly-islands-collision?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3282500/china-accuses-philippine-ships-violating-sovereignty-after-spratly-islands-collision?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Oct 2024 14:29:57 +0000 The People’s Liberation Army announced on Monday evening that it had wrapped up its blockade drills around Taiwan, saying it had “fully tested the integrated joint operation capabilities” of its troops. The Joint Sword-2024B exercises started at around dawn and included the aircraft carrier Liaoning sailing to the strategic east of the island. The manoeuvres, which included land and sea strikes, were conducted to the north, south and east of Taiwan and in the Taiwan Strait, with the goal of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3282219/chinas-pla-launches-blockade-drills-around-taiwan-days-after-speech-islands-leader?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3282219/chinas-pla-launches-blockade-drills-around-taiwan-days-after-speech-islands-leader?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Oct 2024 00:20:53 +0000 The People’s Liberation Army kept up its manoeuvres around Taiwan on Friday, a day after the island’s leader William Lai Ching-te delivered a speech that Beijing criticised as “provoking hostility”, although there were no reports of an uptick in the number of planes sent. Taiwan’s defence ministry reported on Friday morning that in the 24 hours to 6am, the PLA sent at least 20 aircraft and 10 vessels to patrol the island’s northern, western and southwestern sides. It said 13 of the aircraft... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3282011/pla-sends-planes-and-ships-near-taiwan-speech-william-lai-continues-cause-ripples?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3282011/pla-sends-planes-and-ships-near-taiwan-speech-william-lai-continues-cause-ripples?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Oct 2024 08:17:59 +0000 Taiwan’s air force is investigating the cause of a Mirage 2000 fighter jet crash off the island’s northwest coast during a nighttime training mission. The single-seat, French-built warplane from the air force’s second tactical fighter wing took off at 8.05pm on Tuesday from Hsinchu Air Base in northwest Taiwan for routine training manoeuvres. However, it lost power when returning to the base half an hour later. “The pilot immediately ejected and parachuted,” the defence ministry said, adding... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3278059/taiwan-probes-fighter-jet-crash-after-latest-incident-involving-french-made-mirage-planes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3278059/taiwan-probes-fighter-jet-crash-after-latest-incident-involving-french-made-mirage-planes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Sep 2024 05:57:02 +0000 In a rare report on mainland Chinese drone activity, Taiwan said two People’s Liberation Army (PLA) unmanned aerial vehicles circled the island for hours on Saturday, just a day after Japan and the Philippines carried out joint drills in nearby waters. The unmanned aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and patrolled around the self-ruled island from around noon to 9pm, according to the Taiwanese defence ministry. The course of the drones was as close as 43 nautical miles (about... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3273142/taiwan-says-pla-drones-circled-hours-after-japan-philippine-naval-drills-nearby?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3273142/taiwan-says-pla-drones-circled-hours-after-japan-philippine-naval-drills-nearby?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Aug 2024 12:00:09 +0000 Chinese and Russian bombers were detected and intercepted off the coast of Alaska for the first time on Wednesday, according to joint US and Canadian defence agency Norad. North American Aerospace Defence Command said it “detected, tracked, and intercepted” two Russian Tu-95 and two Chinese H-6 warplanes operating in the Alaska Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ). The incident marked the first time the two countries’ militaries had entered the area at the same time, a US defence official told... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3271832/china-russia-bombers-enter-alaska-air-defence-zone-military-first-norad?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3271832/china-russia-bombers-enter-alaska-air-defence-zone-military-first-norad?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Jul 2024 09:00:16 +0000 Taiwan’s rare reporting of a long-distance helicopter drill by the People’s Liberation Army is likely to be another sign of the mainland Chinese military increasing its anti-submarine exercises. A helicopter near the northeastern coast of the island flew as close as 45 nautical miles (83km) to the coastal city of Keelung during a two-hour patrol on Sunday afternoon, according to the Taiwan Ministry of National Defence. PLA helicopter operations were also detected and reported near southeastern... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3268000/taiwan-rare-sighting-mainland-chinese-helicopter-points-test-island-defences?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3268000/taiwan-rare-sighting-mainland-chinese-helicopter-points-test-island-defences?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Jun 2024 02:00:18 +0000 Beijing’s most recent drill near Taiwan just days after Taipei’s inauguration ceremony suggests it has a blockade strategy against the self-ruled island, say analysts who contend it would be preferable to direct armed conflict. The People’s Liberation Army launched a two-day exercise – dubbed Joint Sword-2024A – around Taiwan on Thursday, three days after William Lai Ching-te’s inauguration as the new Taiwanese leader. The PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command announced on Thursday it would conduct a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3263763/lower-risks-harder-respond-why-beijing-may-prefer-blockade-conflict-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3263763/lower-risks-harder-respond-why-beijing-may-prefer-blockade-conflict-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 May 2024 07:22:46 +0000 Japan is increasingly alarmed by the constant presence of Chinese vessels near the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea amid concerns that the row over the area could escalate and mirror recent maritime altercations between Beijing and Manila in the South China Sea. Chinese warships have been spotted in the area and near the boundaries of Japan’s Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ), the Japanese defence ministry said on Wednesday without specifying a period of their presence, according to a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3250789/chinese-ships-near-diaoyu-islands-stoke-japans-fears-beijing-vs-manila-south-china-sea-style-clash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3250789/chinese-ships-near-diaoyu-islands-stoke-japans-fears-beijing-vs-manila-south-china-sea-style-clash?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Feb 2024 00:11:00 +0000 Beijing has accused Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party of “hyping up” the People’s Liberation Army’s activities ahead of next month’s elections to win votes. Taiwan is set to hold presidential and legislative elections in less than three weeks. Vice-President William Lai Ching-te, the independence-leaning DPP’s presidential candidate, is currently leading in the polls. Xi says Taiwan unification will ‘surely’ happen as he marks Mao anniversary “The Democratic Progressive Party has... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3246564/taiwan-elections-mainland-china-accuses-democratic-progressive-party-hyping-military-threat-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3246564/taiwan-elections-mainland-china-accuses-democratic-progressive-party-hyping-military-threat-win?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Dec 2023 14:56:32 +0000 Mainland China sent dozens of warplanes, including fighter jets and bombers, towards Taiwan, the island’s Defence Ministry said on Saturday, marking a forceful display days before the self-ruled island plans to hold military exercises aimed at defending itself against a possible invasion. Taiwan is due to hold its annual Han Kuang exercise next week, during which its military will hold combat readiness drills for preventing an invasion. It will also conduct the annual Wan’an exercises aimed at... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3228616/taiwan-prepares-anti-invasion-exercises-china-sends-dozens-warplanes-towards-island?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3228616/taiwan-prepares-anti-invasion-exercises-china-sends-dozens-warplanes-towards-island?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Jul 2023 22:00:52 +0000 Beijing sent a record number of warships close to Taiwan within a single day last week, surpassing a previous high set during then US House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei last year. People’s Liberation Army warships made 16 trips near Taiwan in the 24 hours before 6am on Saturday, the island’s defence ministry said, despite no announcement of any major drills nearby. That topped the 14 warships sent towards Taiwan as Beijing, which considers Taiwan to be a breakaway province, reacted to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3228029/record-16-pla-warships-sailed-close-taiwan-single-day-islands-defence-ministry-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3228029/record-16-pla-warships-sailed-close-taiwan-single-day-islands-defence-ministry-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Jul 2023 15:00:11 +0000 Beijing should avoid acting blindly on Taiwan in the face of increasing pressure from the US, according to Sun Yafu, a former mainland official and influential figure for Beijing’s Taiwan policy. Sun said mainland China was “facing more severe and complex challenges and risks” in cross-strait ties, and “high winds” and “even turbulent waves” were “still highly possible” – an apparent reference to the possibility of a military conflict. He made the speech during a forum on Taiwan issues in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3225969/dont-act-blindly-taiwan-beijing-should-resist-us-pressure-and-stay-own-course-policy-influencer-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3225969/dont-act-blindly-taiwan-beijing-should-resist-us-pressure-and-stay-own-course-policy-influencer-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jun 2023 14:00:16 +0000 The United States has approved the sale of US$619 million of missiles for Taiwan’s F-16 fleet in a new arms deal that the self-ruled island has welcomed as important in deterring a potential attack from the People’s Liberation Army. The planned sale – the first made by the government of US President Joe Biden this year and the ninth since he took office in 2021 – is certain to enrage Beijing, which has time and again warned Washington against supplying Taipei with arms and having official... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3212051/us-approves-new-us619-million-sale-missiles-and-military-equipment-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3212051/us-approves-new-us619-million-sale-missiles-and-military-equipment-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Mar 2023 06:04:28 +0000 A balloon that came down on a remote Taiwanese-held islet close to mainland China’s coast was used for weather monitoring and had no audiovisual recording equipment on board, Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said on Saturday after analysing the remains. Taiwan, which mainland China claims as its own territory, has complained of increased harassment by Beijing’s armed forces over the past three years, including fighter jets flying near the island and drones buzzing close to offshore islets. Taiwan said... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3210704/taiwan-confirms-crashed-balloon-was-used-weather-monitoring-after-analysis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3210704/taiwan-confirms-crashed-balloon-was-used-weather-monitoring-after-analysis?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Feb 2023 12:30:05 +0000 Chinese most advanced stealth fighter J-20 is playing a leading role in intercepting planes over the East China Sea and Taiwan Strait, according to state media reports. Military observers believe the fifth generation warplanes are the best equipped to confront foreign stealth fighters such as the F-35s of the United States or Japan. On Monday state broadcaster CCTV aired a video of a J-20 squadron, saying it had done an “excellent job on regular patrols and controlling the East China Sea Air... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3207293/china-outlines-j-20-stealth-fighters-role-intercepting-foreign-warplanes-releasing-footage-may-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3207293/china-outlines-j-20-stealth-fighters-role-intercepting-foreign-warplanes-releasing-footage-may-show?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Jan 2023 12:44:31 +0000 The People’s Liberation Army has deployed between four and six warships in waters close to Taiwan every day since August, the island’s defence minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said on Tuesday. Chiu said Beijing’s deployments were in addition to the PLA sending multiple daily warplane sorties to the self-ruled island’s air defence identification zone or across the median line in the Taiwan Strait – a de facto line separating the island and the mainland. Calling the actions proof of provocation from the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3195581/if-not-provocation-what-it-taiwan-says-mainland-china-sends-4-6?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3195581/if-not-provocation-what-it-taiwan-says-mainland-china-sends-4-6?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Oct 2022 11:00:20 +0000 Taiwan’s air force is seeking a record NT$36.8 billion (US$1.16 billion) for equipment maintenance and installation next year, according to a proposed budget sent to the island’s legislature. The figure represents an increase of 26 per cent from the NT$29.2 billion approved for this year and is nearly double the amount allocated in 2016, when Tsai Ing-wen was first elected president of the island, according to the proposal revealed on Monday by a legislative source. Observers said the sharp... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3192233/taiwans-air-force-seeks-record-us1-billion-equipment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3192233/taiwans-air-force-seeks-record-us1-billion-equipment?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Sep 2022 11:03:20 +0000 The People’s Liberation Army has said it had expanded its air control to “previously unreachable” areas before the recent Taiwan Strait crisis. Its most advanced J-20 fighters have repeatedly been scrambled to “check and identify foreign military aircraft entering our East China Sea Air Defence Identification Zone”, most recently in late July, the official newspaper PLA Daily reported on Wednesday. J-20s also took part in the recent mass crossings of the median line in the Taiwan Strait in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3188801/peoples-liberation-army-boasts-increased-reach-skies-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3188801/peoples-liberation-army-boasts-increased-reach-skies-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Aug 2022 22:00:24 +0000 Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has boarded a warship to watch a live-fire air and naval drill simulating the response to a People’s Liberation Army attack, as the island faces growing sabre-rattling from Beijing. Wearing camouflage clothing, Tsai, who is also commander-in-chief of Taiwan’s armed forces, observed the joint exercise from aboard the Keelung, a Kidd-class destroyer, on Tuesday morning. It was part of the self-ruled island’s annual Han Kuang exercise – its most important war games... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3186629/taiwanese-president-tsai-ing-wen-observes-live-fire-drill?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3186629/taiwanese-president-tsai-ing-wen-observes-live-fire-drill?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Jul 2022 10:00:24 +0000 Taiwan will stage island-wide drills simulating missile and warplane attacks by the People’s Liberation Army, as tensions soar across the strait. The annual Wan An exercise comes after a PLA missile frigate reportedly sailed close to Taiwan’s eastern coast on Sunday. It was the latest move in a pressure campaign against the self-ruled island that includes PLA warplanes regularly entering Taiwan’s air defence identification zone. Beijing sees the island as part of its territory and has not ruled... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3185035/taiwan-hold-island-wide-air-raid-drills-simulating-pla-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3185035/taiwan-hold-island-wide-air-raid-drills-simulating-pla-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Jul 2022 12:00:28 +0000 The PLA Eastern Theatre Command said its combat-readiness patrols in air and sea territories near Taiwan this week were “necessary action” against “collusion” between Taiwan and the United States. A statement by the Eastern Theatre Command issued on Wednesday accused the US of hypocrisy on the issue of Taiwan, with alleged support for advocates of Taiwan’s independence, a position it said was a betrayal of US alignment with the one-China policy. “Taiwan is a part of China. The Eastern Theatre... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3179983/beijings-air-and-sea-patrols-near-taiwan-necessary-action?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3179983/beijings-air-and-sea-patrols-near-taiwan-necessary-action?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Jun 2022 06:41:47 +0000 Taiwan reported a record nine types of PLA aircraft – including a rarely seen jet – entering its air defence zone on Monday as a US delegation made an unannounced visit to Taipei. According to Taiwan’s defence ministry, 30 PLA aircraft made sorties into the area, the highest daily total since January 23 when 39 aircraft made similar flights. The aircraft included two Su-35 fighters, which have rarely taken part in the patrols to put pressure on the island. China was the first international... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3179885/pla-aircraft-put-show-force-us-delegation-lands-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3179885/pla-aircraft-put-show-force-us-delegation-lands-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 May 2022 12:30:23 +0000 Soon after dawn on a southern Taiwanese beach, Robin Hsu’s iPhone pings with the first radio message of the day from Taiwan’s air force as it warns away aircraft from mainland China. “Attention!” a voice says on the radio, speaking in Mandarin to a Chinese military plane flying at an altitude of 3,500 metres (11,500 feet). “You have entered our southwestern air defence identification zone and are jeopardising aviation safety. Turn around and leave immediately.” Taiwan, which Beijing claims as... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3178942/taiwans-radio-enthusiasts-tune-pla-us-warplanes-crowd-sensitive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3178942/taiwans-radio-enthusiasts-tune-pla-us-warplanes-crowd-sensitive?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 May 2022 08:31:55 +0000 A Taiwanese air force jet crashed into waters off the island’s east coast during a routine flight on Monday, the second crash of its kind in three months. Taiwan’s defence ministry said the pilot of the Mirage 2000-5 fighter jet ejected to safety after reporting mechanical problems and was rescued. An air force spokesman said all Mirage 2000-5s would be grounded immediately for inspections. He also said the 38-year-old pilot made the right decision to eject. The ministry said the jet took off... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3170389/another-taiwanese-air-force-jet-crashes-during-training-run?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3170389/another-taiwanese-air-force-jet-crashes-during-training-run?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Mar 2022 08:20:51 +0000 The failure by Taiwan’s military to spot a civilian plane from mainland China near an islet held by Taipei earlier this month has highlighted a “serious weakness” in its radar system, a former instructor has said. Last week Taiwan’s defence ministry confirmed that “an unidentified fixed-wing twin-propeller aircraft” that flew close to Dongyin earlier this month was a Y-12, a small transport plane, from the Chinese mainland. Beijing berates US for ‘trying to include Taiwan in strategy to contain... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3168407/how-mainland-chinese-transport-plane-highlighted-serious?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3168407/how-mainland-chinese-transport-plane-highlighted-serious?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Feb 2022 04:00:15 +0000 Taiwan will stage a series of live-fire drills next month at several islets under its control, including two close to the Chinese mainland, to test the combat readiness of its forces there. The drills come amid growing concerns that cross-strait conflict could become imminent if the mainland’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) were to seize one of the islets to force self-ruled Taiwan to the table for reunification talks. According to notices issued by the island’s armed forces to alert ships and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3167686/taiwan-reveals-plans-live-fire-drills-islets-near-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3167686/taiwan-reveals-plans-live-fire-drills-islets-near-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Feb 2022 04:00:20 +0000 A People’s Liberation Army Ka-28 anti-submarine helicopter was spotted entering Taiwan’s air defence zone this week for the first time, according to the island’s defence ministry. The helicopter, which can track and destroy submarines, was taking part in war readiness exercises against the island, a mainland expert said. The ministry said three PLA aircraft – a Y-8 electronic intelligence aircraft, a Y-8 electronic warfare aircraft and a Ka-28 anti-submarine warfare helicopter – entered Taiwan’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3167596/taiwan-pla-anti-submarine-helicopter-spotted-entering-islands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3167596/taiwan-pla-anti-submarine-helicopter-spotted-entering-islands?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Feb 2022 12:30:08 +0000 Taiwan is closely watching the situation in the narrow strait that separates it from mainland China and raising its preparedness in response to what is happening with Ukraine, the government said on Saturday, though it added the two cases were very different. Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, has stepped up military activity near the self-governing island over the past two years, though Taiwan has reported no unusual manoeuvres by mainland Chinese forces in recent days as... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3166898/taiwan-keeps-eye-strait-tensions-mount-ukraine-russia-border?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3166898/taiwan-keeps-eye-strait-tensions-mount-ukraine-russia-border?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Feb 2022 13:48:06 +0000 The People’s Liberation Army has sent 52 warplanes into Taiwan’s air defence zone in the past two days, prompting the island’s air force to scramble jets and aim missiles to disperse them. According to Taiwan’s defence ministry, 13 warplanes – 10 J-16 fighter jets, two H-6 bombers and a Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft – entered the southwest of the island’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ) on Monday. The sorties followed 39 PLA warplanes – 34 fighter jets, four electronic warfare planes and a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3164494/beijing-sends-39-aircraft-taiwan-air-defence-zone-pushing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3164494/beijing-sends-39-aircraft-taiwan-air-defence-zone-pushing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Jan 2022 05:19:06 +0000 Taiwanese air force jets screamed into the sky on Wednesday in a drill simulating a war scenario, showing combat readiness amid heightened military tensions with Beijing, which claims the island as its own. Before take-off, flight crews at a base in the southern city of Chiayi – home to US-made F-16 fighter jets that are frequently scrambled to intercept mainland China’s warplanes – rushed to ready aircraft as an alarm sounded. The exercises were part of a three-day drill to show Taiwan’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3162258/war-simulation-taiwan-air-force-stages-drill-intercept-mainland?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3162258/war-simulation-taiwan-air-force-stages-drill-intercept-mainland?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Jan 2022 11:54:23 +0000 There seems to be confusion about the issue of Chinese military aircraft making incursions against Taiwan. Non-military aircraft fly to Taiwan several times each day. There is a vast amount of air travel across the Taiwan Strait, a product of large amounts of commerce and tourism. A rub is sometimes created because Taiwan is not a member of the International Civil Aviation Organization and Taipei complains that it is excluded, even citing this as a danger. But this is not new. Contrary to what... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3160687/chinese-flights-near-taiwan-understandable-given-history-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3160687/chinese-flights-near-taiwan-understandable-given-history-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Dec 2021 16:30:18 +0000 The US military carried out a record number of close-up reconnaissance flights over the South China Sea near the Chinese coast last month, according to data compiled by a Beijing-based think tank. American spy planes made 94 of these sorties in November, the South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI) said in a post on its official Weibo account on Wednesday. That represents an increase of nearly 30 per cent from the previous high of 75 US reconnaissance flights logged by the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3158176/us-spy-planes-made-record-number-sorties-near-china-last-month?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3158176/us-spy-planes-made-record-number-sorties-near-china-last-month?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Dec 2021 14:00:28 +0000 An oil tanker aircraft joined mainland China’s air patrol near Taiwan for the first time on Sunday, according to the island’s defence ministry, a move an analyst said was to show the PLA’s boosted attack ability. The Y-20 aerial refuelling aircraft was sent with 26 military planes – 18 fighter jets, five nuclear-capable H-6 bombers, two KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft and a Y-9 transport aircraft – into Taiwan’s air-defence identification zone (ADIZ), prompting Taipei to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3157750/beijing-tests-flying-oil-tanker-near-taiwan-show-extended-air?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3157750/beijing-tests-flying-oil-tanker-near-taiwan-show-extended-air?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Nov 2021 10:00:29 +0000 The People’s Liberation Army is expected to show off more new weapons and conduct bigger military exercises targeting Taiwan as Beijing gears up for continued intimidation of the island, military analysts and an insider said. The PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command, the key fighting unit responsible for Taiwan contingencies, on Tuesday declared a joint combat-readiness patrol aimed at Taiwan for the first time, a few hours after several United States lawmakers made an unannounced visit to Taipei. “The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3155908/china-will-keep-escalating-military-intimidation-taiwan-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3155908/china-will-keep-escalating-military-intimidation-taiwan-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Nov 2021 23:00:24 +0000 As European lawmakers demanded the EU foster closer ties with Taiwan, a leading Brussels official vowed to push back against China’s “attempts to intimidate” Lithuania and other member states over their relations with the self-ruled island. Beijing moved to stop Chinese freight trains from travelling to Lithuania in August, after the tiny Baltic nation moved forward with plans to host a “Taiwanese Representative Office” in its capital city Vilnius. Lithuanian businesses have also reported losses... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3152943/brussels-reiterates-support-lithuania-row-over-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3152943/brussels-reiterates-support-lithuania-row-over-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Oct 2021 21:22:19 +0000 Taiwan will not start a war with Beijing but will defend itself “full on”, Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said on Thursday, amid a spike in tensions across the Taiwan Strait that has raised concern internationally. Taiwan, a major semiconductor producer, has repeatedly said it would defend itself if attacked, but that it would not “advance rashly” and wanted to maintain the status quo with the mainland. “What is clearest is that the Republic of China absolutely will not start or set off a war,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3152306/taiwan-wont-start-war-mainland-will-meet-enemy-full-defence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3152306/taiwan-wont-start-war-mainland-will-meet-enemy-full-defence?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Oct 2021 05:09:42 +0000 Taiwan wants to prevent military conflict but will “spare no effort” to defend itself, said Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, as the island strives to develop a long-range missile capable of striking Beijing. On Friday, days after the People’s Liberation Army’s sent scores of its largest warplanes to patrol near the island, Tsai said Taiwan was seeking to strengthen its ties with the United States, Australia, India and Japan – the so-called Quad pact – and Asean nations. “Taiwan does not seek... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3151707/taiwan-will-spare-no-effort-defend-island-and-its-democratic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3151707/taiwan-will-spare-no-effort-defend-island-and-its-democratic?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Oct 2021 12:11:41 +0000 Mainland China will have the ability to mount a full-scale invasion of Taiwan by 2025, Taiwanese Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng told the island’s legislature on Wednesday. Chiu warned of the risk of a cross-strait conflict as tensions mount in the Taiwan Strait, with Beijing sending 150 warplanes to ramp up pressure on the island in the past few days. “It is the toughest situation I have seen in more than 40 years of my military life,” Chiu said, referring to a spike in sorties by People’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3151340/beijing-capable-taiwan-invasion-2025-islands-defence-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3151340/beijing-capable-taiwan-invasion-2025-islands-defence-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Oct 2021 05:14:27 +0000 A failure to defend Taiwan would be catastrophic for peace in Asia and the island would do whatever it took to protect itself, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said, as Beijing continues to deploy record numbers of military aircraft to fly into the island’s air defence identification zone. In an article published in Foreign Affairs magazine on Tuesday, Tsai said Taiwan would not bend to pressure, but nor would it turn “adventurist”, even with support from the international community. “Taiwan... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3151252/amid-pla-sorties-taiwanese-president-says-failing-defend-island?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3151252/amid-pla-sorties-taiwanese-president-says-failing-defend-island?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Oct 2021 09:00:15 +0000 Taiwan’s defence ministry said 52 mainland Chinese fighter jets flew to the self-ruled island’s southwest air defence identification zone on Monday, a record number that has raised concerns of unintended incidents between the armed forces. The island said it had scrambled jets and deployed missiles to warn off the mainland military aircraft, including 34 J-16 fighter jets, 12 H-6 bombers and two Su-30 jets. It came after Beijing sent 38 warplanes to Taiwan’s air defence zone on Friday, followed... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3151170/beijing-sends-record-52-fighter-jets-test-taiwan-sparking-fear?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3151170/beijing-sends-record-52-fighter-jets-test-taiwan-sparking-fear?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Oct 2021 13:12:44 +0000 Taiwan’s air force scrambled on Sunday in response to renewed mainland Chinese military activity, with its defence ministry reporting that 19 aircraft including nuclear-capable bombers had flown into Taiwan’s air defence identification zone. Taiwan has complained for a year or more of repeated missions by the People’s Liberation Army Air Force near the self-ruled island, often in the southwestern part of its air defence zone near the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Island. The latest PLA mission... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3147643/chinese-military-sends-19-aircraft-taiwans-air-defence-zone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3147643/chinese-military-sends-19-aircraft-taiwans-air-defence-zone?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Sep 2021 10:58:47 +0000 China’s regulation requiring notification from foreign vessels entering its claimed territorial waters is unlikely to be obeyed by countries challenging those claims, as happened when it declared an Air Defence Identification Zone on the East China Sea, observers said. The Maritime Safety Administration said that, taking effect on Wednesday, foreign vessels entering China’s territorial seas must report ship and cargo information. The administration did not spell out how the requirement would be... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3147080/south-china-sea-beijings-foreign-ships-move-may-go-same-way?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3147080/south-china-sea-beijings-foreign-ships-move-may-go-same-way?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Sep 2021 00:00:31 +0000 Seven Chinese air force warplanes flew into Taiwan’s air defence identification zone on Thursday – just two days after the PLA sent a record 28 planes to the island’s ADIZ. Observers said the latest fly-by – which involved two newer-model J-16 fighter jets, four old model J-7 fighters and one Y-8 electric warfare aircraft – was aimed at testing interoperability of its two generations of planes. It was also intended to test their ability to counter electronic interference, they said. Why Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3137795/pla-warplanes-enter-taiwan-air-defence-zone-two-days-after?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3137795/pla-warplanes-enter-taiwan-air-defence-zone-two-days-after?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Jun 2021 04:39:39 +0000 Malaysia has vehemently protested about what it says was the suspicious flight of Chinese military transport planes in tactical formation within 60 nautical miles of its territory. US defence officials must be laughing. Malaysia’s complaint against China is similar to China’s complaint against US practice over its near seas. In addition to the irony, there is confusion as to the international rules and practice governing such military overflights. Some analysts reacted strongly. Collin Koh, a... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3136248/malaysias-airspace-violation-row-china-highlights-confusing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3136248/malaysias-airspace-violation-row-china-highlights-confusing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jun 2021 17:30:11 +0000 Taiwan’s defence ministry has reported a new incursion into the island’s air defence identification zone by China’s air force, made up of eight fighter jets and two other aircraft, one of which flew through the strategic Bashi Channel. Taiwan has complained over the past few months of repeated missions by China’s air force near the island, concentrated in the southwestern part itsair defence identification zone (ADIZ) near the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands. Late last month, Taiwan reported 20... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3128383/taiwan-reports-new-incursion-chinese-jets-its-air-defence-zone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3128383/taiwan-reports-new-incursion-chinese-jets-its-air-defence-zone?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Apr 2021 11:59:10 +0000