Topic
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 South Korea, becoming a flashpoint in East Asian politics and security.
"The gains from control over a few uninhabited rocks are vastly outweighed by the risks." Here's a comment by a respected British commentator that perfectly summarises the bafflement of outsiders about China's territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas.
President Xi Jinping told the visiting former US president Bill Clinton earlier last month that the relationship between the two countries had become a "skyscraper". This is the first time a top mainland leader has used this word to define the complex and evolving Sino-US ties, signalling an optimistic view of the height and strength of the relationship.
- Japan deployed airborne early warning aircraft and at least one marine destroyer in response to Chinese vessels sailing near the disputed islands
- Analysts say Beijing’s actions are aimed at weakening Tokyo’s control over the uninhabited East China Sea islands it calls the Senkakus
The island will elect its next president in January, with William Lai, the independence-leaning party’s candidate, currently ahead in the polls.
The PLA sent 37 aircraft and 7 navy vessels around Taiwan between 6am on Friday and 6am on Saturday, Taiwan’s defence ministry said.
Number tops the previous high of 14 warships sent towards Taiwan as Beijing reacted to Nancy Pelosi’s visit in August.
The remarks by Sun Yafu, an influential figure for cross-strait policy, offer a rare glimpse into mainland China’s strategy regarding strained ties with Taipei.
Taiwan’s defence ministry says the missiles are needed to help deal with threats and provocation from the PLA.
A balloon that came down on remote Taiwanese-held Dongyin island, close to mainland China’s coast, had no audiovisual recording equipment on board and was carrying only meteorological recording instruments, Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said.
State broadcaster interviews J-20 stealth fighter pilots about encounters with rival forces and their readiness to risk their own lives.
Beijing responds to Tsai Ing-wen’s Double Tenth Day speech, accusing her of distorting cross-strait relations, exaggerating threats and sabotaging ties.
The figure is nearly double the amount allocated in 2016, when Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen took office, and observers say the sharp increase is a response to the PLA’s attempts to intimidate the island.
An article in the Chinese military’s official newspaper says the air force has been operating in ‘previously unreachable areas’.
Island’s leader watched on from a destroyer off the northeast coast and said the armed forces had shown their determination to defend Taiwan.
Annual event will run from July 25 to 28 and will test sirens and include emergency rescue and evacuation exercises.
Eastern Theatre Command statement accuses US of hypocrisy and betrayal of its alignment with the one-China policy.
Nine types of planes, including two Su-35s, enter the island’s air defence zone as part of the biggest mainland patrol in four months.
A band of Taiwanese civilians has been keeping an ear on Beijing’s air force missions and publishing the recordings online.
Second aircraft in three months lost in waters off the island’s east coast.
A transport plane approached the small island of Dongyin earlier this month, but the Taiwanese initially failed to detect it.
Some observers believe the mainland is more likely to try to seize one of the islets, to force talks, than launch an all-out war.
Soviet-designed Ka-28 was likely to have taken off from a nearby warship that was not spotted by the island, says military researcher.
Military units told to pay close attention to the situation in Ukraine and the waters separating island from mainland China.
Sorties came after the US and Japan wrapped up a six-day joint maritime drill south of Okinawa.
Three-day battle readiness exercise comes as Taipei complains of repeated missions by Beijing’s air force near the island.
The history behind Taiwan’s air defence identification zone and the lack of formality around the median line help explain China’s recent actions. Even so, the biggest driver of flights towards the island is the tension between Beijing and Taipei.
American aircraft carried out 94 reconnaissance flights over the South China Sea near the Chinese coast in November, according to the SCSPI.
The debut outing for the refuel aircraft comes after US lawmakers vowed ‘rock-solid’ support for Taipei in a surprise one-day visit to the island.
People’s Liberation Army has more plans afoot for the island, military insider says after announcement of first joint combat-readiness patrol aimed at Taiwan.
European Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager expressed ‘solidarity’ and ‘support’ for Vilnius.
Taiwanese Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng acknowledges recent PLA sorties into island’s air defence zone constrained by limited mid-air refuelling capacity.
Speech comes after PLA sent more than 150 planes to test the island’s air defences.
