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The Chinese military announced on Wednesday that it had launched a combat “readiness patrol” in the waters and airspace surrounding Taiwan in recent days, citing “collusion” between Washington and Taipei as justification.
China, which claims democratically controlled Taiwan as its own territory, has increased its military manoeuvres surrounding the island over the last two years or so in order to put pressure on Taipei to acknowledge its sovereignty claims.
China has been particularly dissatisfied with the United States’ support for Taiwan.
Last week, US President Joe Biden appeared to reverse an American policy of “strategic ambiguity” on Taiwan by declaring the US would become involved militarily if China attacked the island. Officials in the United States stated that there had been no change in policy.
The People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theatre Command stated in a statement that the combat “readiness patrol” took place around Taiwan in recent days and was “a vital move against US-Taiwan cooperation.”
“Recently, the United States has made regular movements on the Taiwan matter, saying one thing and doing another, promoting support for Taiwan independence forces, putting Taiwan in a grave situation,” the command said.
Taiwan is a part of China, and Chinese troops continue to intensify military training and preparations to “thwart” external intervention and acts by people who advocate Taiwan independence, according to the statement.
While the statement did not specify the date of the practise, Taiwan claimed on Monday the greatest invasion by China’s air force in its air defence zone since January. According to the island’s defence ministry, Taiwanese fighters were sent to warn away 30 planes.
Taiwan has often complained about similar flights in its Air Defense Identification Zone, or ADIZ.
No bullets were fired, and the Chinese planes were not flying in Taiwan’s airspace, but rather in the ADIZ, a larger area that Taiwan monitors and patrols to give it more time to respond to any threats.
Taiwan argues that only its people have the authority to decide the island’s future, rejecting China’s claims of sovereignty.
