Taiwan Fighter Jets Scramble, Warning Broadcasts Issued
China: "No Median Line Exists in the Taiwan Strait"
[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] Chinese military aircraft have been entering Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) for four consecutive days, increasing military pressure on Taiwan.
Taiwan Air Force Command announced that two Chinese Y-8 anti-submarine patrol aircraft entered the southwestern part of Taiwan's ADIZ yesterday morning.
In response, Taiwanese fighter jets were scrambled urgently and drove the Chinese military aircraft out of the ADIZ, according to Taiwanese media such as Apple Daily.
It was also added that ground-based air defense missile units tracked the Chinese military aircraft during their entry into the ADIZ.
Apple Daily interpreted the flight path of the Chinese anti-submarine patrol aircraft as a reconnaissance mission mainly over areas where Taiwanese submarines conduct training, for intelligence gathering purposes.
Previously, on the 18th, 18 Chinese military aircraft, and on the 19th, 19 Chinese military aircraft violated the median line of the Taiwan Strait and Taiwan's ADIZ, marking three consecutive days of Chinese military aircraft entering Taiwan's ADIZ until the 20th.
Meanwhile, Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated at a regular briefing yesterday, "Taiwan is an inseparable part of China's territory," and added, "The so-called median line of the Taiwan Strait does not exist."
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