(ETH) – There are reports of eight Chinese bombers and four fighter jets that have entered the southwestern corner of Taiwan’s air defence identification zone on Saturday triggering Taiwan’s air force deployed missiles to “monitor” the incursion.
This comes as China has continued to conduct daily flights over the waters between the southern part of Taiwan and the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands in the South China Sea in recent months.
The fly-overs generally consist of a couple of reconnaissance aircraft but this recent incursion consisted of eight nuclear-capable H-6K bombers and four J-16 fighter jets has raised concerns of conflict.
Taiwan’s air force sounded an alarm to the Chinese aircraft and even deployed missiles to monitor them according to the defence ministry. “Airborne alert sorties had been tasked, radio warnings issued and air defence missile systems deployed to monitor the activity,” it said in a brief statement.
