China accused of largest incursion into Taiwanese airspace as US-Philippines South China Sea military drills begin

Taiwan has accused the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of its largest incursion of the nation's air defense zone with jets and nuclear-capable bombers, as joint US-Philippines military drills begin in the South China Sea.

The Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense released a statement on its website on Monday, claiming 25 PLA planes violated the island’s air defense identification zone. 

25 PLA aircraft (Y-8 ASW*2, KJ-500 AEW&C, J-10*4, J-16*14 and H-6K*4) entered #Taiwan’s southwest ADIZ on Apr. 12, 2021. Please check our official website for more information: https://t.co/Lv5b0tXxvF pic.twitter.com/gPG3CKYpf9

— 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, R.O.C. ???????? (@MoNDefense) April 12, 2021

Among the planes were 14 Shenyang J-16 strike fighters, four Chengdu J-10 multirole fighter planes and four Xian H-6 bombers, capable of carrying a nuclear payload, the ministry said. 

Taiwan responded by tracking the planes with anti-aircraft missile monitoring and sending radio warnings demanding China leave the airspace.

Beijing has for decades considered Taiwan part of China’s territory, while the Taiwanese government – supported by Western states – considers the island an independent nation.

Just a day earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told NBC that America has “a serious commitment to Taiwan being able to defend itself.” The Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs praised Blinken’s remarks as a commitment to “sustaining peace and security in the Western Pacific.”

We welcome @SecBlinken reaffirming #US???????? commitment to making sure #Taiwan???????? has the ability to defend itself, & sustaining peace & security in the Western Pacific.

"It would be a serious mistake for anyone to try to change that status quo by force."

▶️https://t.co/b2LHh4psH4 https://t.co/pjVOrsiFzp

— 外交部 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan) ???????? (@MOFA_Taiwan) April 12, 2021

The incursion complaint comes as joint military exercises from Philippines and US naval vessels kick off in the South China Sea.

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The pair are holding military exercises, scaled back this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, for two weeks starting on Monday. The war games will see the two forces simulate a series of military drills, although no face-to-face or ground exercises will take place.

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