China reportedly flew multiple fighter jets across the middle of the Taiwan Strait on Monday, in objection to a visit between Taiwan officials and the US health chief, Alex Azar.
China publicly promised retaliation to the exchange, which saw the highest-level US official visit the island nation in four decades, and condemned the visit as it follows a period of deteriorating relations between China and the US.
According to the Taiwanese air force, Chinese forces flew J-11 and J-10 fighter aircraft briefly onto Taiwan’s side of the narrow strait, which separates the island from its angry neighbour.
The plane allegedly crossed the middle of the strait, into Taiwanese territory, shortly before 9am local time, around the scheduled time Azar met with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen.
The jets were picked up by land-based Taiwanese anti-aircraft missiles, before being reportedly “driven out” by patrolling Taiwanese aircraft.
A senior Taiwan official told the media that China was obviously “targeting” Azar’s visit with a “very risky” move given the Chinese jets were in range of Taiwan’s missiles.
This was the third time since 2016 that Taiwan has reported Chinese jets crossing the strait’s median line.
The visit to Taiwan by US officials was in order to strengthen economic ties and public health collaboration between the US and Taiwan, in light of the country’s immensely successful management of the COVID-19 outbreak.
President Tsai said the US visit represented “a huge step forward in anti-pandemic collaborations between our countries”, mentioning areas of upcoming cooperation between the two, including vaccine and drug research and production.
The visit also showcased US support for Taiwan, after it was refused attendance at the World Health Organisation’s World Health Assembly, following Chinese objection.
