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China’s military
ChinaPolitics

Beijing sends 16 fighter jets towards Taiwan

  • Sorties come a day after European Parliament group ends three-day visit to the island
  • Taiwanese air force issues radio warnings and activates monitoring systems, defence ministry says

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Saturday’s PLA contingent included 10 J-16 fighter jets. Photo: AP
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The People’s Liberation Army sent 16 aircraft into Taiwan’s air defence zone on Saturday, Taipei said Sunday, a fresh high since the last wave of daily warplane sorties in early October.
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Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence said 16 PLA aircraft – 10 J-16 fighter jets and six J-10 fighters – entered Taiwan’s southwestern air defence identification zone (ADIZ).

The island’s air force issued radio warnings and its air defence missile systems were activated to monitor the activity, the ministry said.

According to the ministry, the PLA conducted 150 warplane sorties into the ADIZ from October 1 to October 5. None were conducted over the next 10 days except for three sorties on October 10, Taiwan’s national day.

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Taiwan denounces mainland China for ‘over the top’ flights into island’s air defence zone

Taiwan denounces mainland China for ‘over the top’ flights into island’s air defence zone

From October 16 to November 5, China continued with daily warplane sorties, with the exception of October 23, October 30 and November 3. During that time, the daily number of PLA aircraft seen in the zone peaked at eight.

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Saturday’s sorties came a day after an official delegation sent by the European Parliament wrapped up a three-day visit to Taipei to learn of Taiwan’s experience of fighting disinformation.

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