Taiwan, claimed by China, has complained for a year or more about the Chinese air force’s repeated missions near the self-governing island, often in the southwestern part of its air defense zone, near the Pratas Islands, controlled by Taiwan.
The latest Chinese mission involved ten J-16 fighters and four Su-30s, as well as four H-6 bombers, which can carry nuclear weapons, and an anti-submarine aircraft, Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense said.
Taiwanese fighter jets were sent to warn the Chinese plane, while missile systems were deployed to control them, the ministry said.
The Chinese plane flew in an area closer to the Chinese coast than the Taiwan coast, roughly northeast of Pratas, according to a map provided by Taiwan’s defense ministry.
There was no immediate comment from China.
China often conducts these missions to express its displeasure at what Taiwan has done or to demonstrate international support for the democratically governed island, especially by the United States, Taiwan’s main arms supplier.
It was unclear what might have prompted China to launch its plane this time, although a U.S. warship and a U.S. Coast Guard cutter sailed across the Taiwan Strait late last month. .
China has described its activities as necessary to protect the country’s sovereignty and deal with the “collusion” between Taipei and Washington.
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry warned last week that China’s threat was growing, saying China’s armed forces could “paralyze” Taiwan’s defenses and could completely monitor its deployments.