Taiwan Condemns Largest Ever Incursion By Chinese Air Force, 77 Warplanes Enter Taiwanese Defence Zone Over Last Two Days

A record 39 warplanes of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) entered Taiwan’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ) on Saturday (Oct 2), Taiwanese defence ministry officials said.

The 20 PLA aircraft, namely 14 J-16 fighter jets, four Su-30 fighter jets, and two Y-8 anti-submarine warfare aircraft, entered Taiwan yesterday as tensions across the Taiwan Strait continue to escalates.

Taiwanese defence ministry said today morning (Oct 3) that a second sortie was carried out on Saturday night. 19 additional PLA aircraft, namely 12 J-16 fighter jets, six Su-30 fighter jets and a KJ-500 early warning aircraft, entered the island of Taiwan's southwest air defense identification zone.

In response to Chinese aggression, Taiwan’s air force scrambled fighter jets, issued radio warnings and deployed air defence missile systems to monitor the activity, the ministry said.

PLA has earlier dispatched 38 warplanes near the island of Taiwan for exercise on Friday.

China has stepped up military and political pressure to try and force Taiwan to accept Chinese sovereignty.

The wave of incursions by China is been viewed as a possible warning Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen not to make a provocative speech on the 110th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China on October 10, which falls next Sunday.