Taiwan retaliates, tracks 32 Chinese military aircraft

In retaliation to China’s aggressive posturing through incursions by Chinese warplanes into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone after the island’s president Tsai Ing-wen began to have ties with other countries, Taiwan has sent aircraft, naval ships to monitor the PLA aircraft and vessels around the country, Taiwan News reported. Thirty-Two People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft and 4 naval vessels were tracked around Taiwan on Friday, Taiwan News reported citing the Ministry of National Defense (MND). One CH-4 combat reconnaissance drone that crossed the Taiwan Strait median line and circled Taiwan anticlockwise from the northeast sector of the air defence identification zone (ADIZ) to the southwest corner was among the 13 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft that were tracked in ADIZ. Between 6 a.m. on Thursday (May 11) and 6 a.m. on Friday (May 12), the Ministry of National Defence (MND) monitored 32 Chinese military aircraft and four naval vessels in the vicinity of Taiwan, according to Taiwan news. In the southwest corner of the ADIZ, a BZK-005 reconnaissance drone and a TB-001 combat reconnaissance drone also crossed the median line and flew along the southern edge of the identification zone. Additionally, two Sukhoi Su-30 jet fighters and six Chengdu J-10 fighter jets crossed the median line. In retaliation, Taiwan also sent aircraft, and naval ships, and used land-based missiles to monitor the PLA aircraft and vessels. Beijing has encircled Taiwan with 36 naval vessels and 131 military aircraft so far this month. China has gradually increased the number of military planes and navy ships operating near Taiwan since September 2020, expanding its use of grey zone techniques, reported Taiwan News. China, which sees Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out using force to bring it under its control, last month, started three days of military exercises around Taiwan after the island’s president met the US House Speaker in defiance of re