Chinese warplanes crossed into Taiwan's air defence zone on Monday (October 4) in yet another record incursion, despite concerns voiced by Washington over Beijing's "provocative" military activity.
Taiwan's defence ministry said it scrambled aircraft to broadcast warnings after 36 fighter jets, 12 H-6 nuclear-capable bombers, and other planes entered its southwest air defence identification zone (ADIZ).
The ADIZ is not the same as Taiwan's territorial airspace, but includes a far greater area that overlaps with part of China's own air defence identification zone and some of mainland China.
Self-ruled democratic Taiwan lives under the constant threat of invasion by China, which views the island as its territory and has vowed to one day seize it by force if necessary.
China marked its National Day on Friday with its then biggest aerial show of force, buzzing the island with 38 warplanes. That was followed by another incursion by 39 planes on Saturday, sparking criticism from Washington.
"The United States is very concerned by the People's Republic of China's provocative military activity near Taiwan, which is destabilising, risks miscalculations, and undermines regional peace and stability," US State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement on Sunday.
"We urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure and coercion against Taiwan."
Beijing has ramped up pressure on the government of President Tsai Ing-wen since she came to power in 2016, as she rejects its stance that Taiwan is part of "one China".
Responding to the incident, the editorial in the state media outlet Global Times read, "the intensive actions of the PLA Air Force are not only a severe warning to the secessionist Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities on the island, but also clearly portrayed the severity of the situation across the Taiwan Straits, and at the same time gave a clear warning to the supporters of the DPP authorities."
"The secessionist forces on the island will never be allowed to secede Taiwan from China under whatever names or by whatever means, and, the island will not be allowed to act as an outpost of the US' strategic containment against China," the editorial added.
