MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

China on war alert over US Senator trip to Taiwan

China’s current maneuvers are linked to the visit by US Senator Rick Scott of Florida to Taiwan

China is said to be upping its military preparations while US Senator Rick Scott is visiting Taiwan, which Beijing considers to be a rogue province. “These actions by the United States seriously violated the One China principle,” Chinese Defense Ministry Spokesman Wu Qian said Friday.

“The People’s Republic of China expresses its resolute protest in this regard. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army is always ready for war and we can start military operations any time and will firmly defend the national sovereignty and the territorial integrity of our country,” the spokesman said.

He added that the People’s Liberation Army of China “will resolutely put an end to external interference and any attempts by Taiwanese separatists to achieve the so-called independence of Taiwan.”

“It is necessary by all means to ensure the Motherland’s unity,” he added.

Taiwan has been governed by its local administration since 1949 when the Kuomintang’s remaining forces headed by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) were defeated in the Chinese Civil War and took refuge on the island.

Taiwan kept the flag and other symbols from before the Communist takeover, although Beijing maintains that the Island of Taiwan is one of China’s provinces, a position shared by many countries worldwide (read also https://en.mercopress.com/2021/12/10/nicaragua-severs-ties-with-taiwan-rogue-chinese-territory ).

Meanwhile, 9 Chinese warplanes were reported to have entered the Taiwanese air defense zone Friday, the island’s Defense Ministry reported Friday.

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said that the Chinese warplanes flew around the waters southwest of the island. The maneuvers involved two Y-8 electronic surveillance aircraft, four J-16 jets, two J-10 fighters, and one J-11 plane. In response, the Taiwanese military issued radio warnings and deployed air defense missile systems.

Chinese warplanes have been regularly entering Taiwan’s air defense identification zone lately, holding drills in the region. China’s current maneuvers are linked to the visit by US Senator Rick Scott of Florida to Taiwan. He held meetings with the island’s leadership on July 8.

The concept of an air defense zone for identifying aircraft is not defined under international law. The extension of these zones is declared by particular countries or regions and is not necessarily limited to their boundaries. Taiwan declared its air defense identification zone unilaterally: its area covers 492 square kilometers and considerably exceeds the island’s airspace. It also spans the waters around it, the Taiwan Strait, and also part of the airspace over the provinces of Fujian, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang of mainland China.

(Source: TASS)