China defends 28 PLAAF aircraft breaching Taiwan airspace, calls its response to 'collusion'

PLA fighter jets and nuclear-capable bombers entered Taiwan's air defence identification zone hours after the G7 leaders issued a joint statement after their summit where they reprimanded China on many issues, including Taiwan.

Vipin Vijayan

Beijing, First Published Jun 16, 2021, 8:17 PM IST | Last Updated Jun 16, 2021, 8:17 PM IST

A day after 28 Chinese PLA Air Force aircraft barged into Taiwan's air defence identification zone, the Chinese government defended its action as a strong response to acts of collusion by foreign forces trying to interfere with Taiwan.

Taiwan had on Tuesday reported the largest incursion to date by Chinese military aircraft.

China dismissed the G7 viewpoint on its military power as slanderous.

Ma Xiaoguang, the spokesman for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, blamed Taiwan for the tensions in the region.

When asked by media persons at a media briefing whether the military activity was related to the G7 summit, Ma said Beijing believes that the island's government is working with foreign countries to seek formal independence.

He said, "We will never tolerate attempts to seek independence or wanton intervention in the Taiwan issue by foreign forces, so we need to make a strong response to these acts of collusion."

Over the last few months, democratically-ruled Taiwan has complained of repeated Chinese Air Force missions near the island and in its air defence zone.

According to Taiwan's defence ministry, this time, not only did the Chinese aircraft fly in an area close to the Pratas Islands, but the bombers and some of the fighters flew around the southern part of Taiwan near the bottom tip of the island.

The incident also took place on the day when the US Navy carrier group led by the USS Ronald Reagan entered the disputed South China Sea.

According to the Carrier Strike Group 5 spokesperson Lt Cmdr Joe Keiley, the Ronald Reagan Strike group did not interact with any Chinese military aircraft.

"During the strike group's South China Sea operations, all communications between ships and aircraft have been consistent with international norms and have not impacted our operations," he said.

According to senior US officials, China was sending Washington a message in response to its military's strategic intimidation.

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