China's Airspace Incursion Triggers Taiwan's Air Defense Response

On Thursday, 37 Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan's air defense zone, with some subsequently flying into the western Pacific, prompting the island nation to activate its air defense systems.

What Happened: As per the Taiwanese defense ministry, about 37 of Xi Jinping's military planes, including J-11 and J-16 fighters as well as nuclear-capable H-6 bombers, were flying in the southwestern corner of Taipei's air defense identification zone (ADIZ), reported Reuters.

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The Ministry of National Defense said some Chinese aircraft also entered Taiwan’s southeast and crossed the western Pacific to perform “air surveillance and long-distance navigation training.”

The island nation, where Beijing claims sovereignty, said its aircraft and ships were keeping a watch and it activated land-based missile systems.

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This came after Laura Rosenberger, the chair of the American Institute in Taiwan – responsible for managing the unofficial relationship between Washington and Taipei – visited the island this week.

During her visit, Rosenberger on Monday told the media that the U.S. maintains a lasting commitment to ensuring stability in the Taiwan Strait and would continue to provide military support to Taiwan — an issue that has consistently strained relations between Beijing and Washington. 

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Why It Matters: The incident marked Beijing’s most recent large-scale incursion into the region, further intensifying the situation.

Under Xi, Beijing has massively ramped up military and political pressure to try and get Taipei to accept its sovereignty, including staging war games near the island and warplanes into Taiwan's air defense zone. China considers Taiwan a renegade province and has not ruled out using force to take control.

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