Chinese Military Flights Around Taiwan: Practicing To Block U.S. Or Japan From Intervening If China Invades

Chinese warplanes run combat drills to keep US out of Taiwan conflict

RYAN MORGAN

China’s state-run Global Times reported this week that China’s recent pattern of military flights around Taiwan are becoming more elaborate, with Chinese warplanes practicing to block the U.S. or Japan from intervening should China invade the island.

On Friday, China deployed 20 warplanes including a dozen fighter jets and four bombers, in the largest-ever set of military flights around Taiwan. Those military flights continued over the weekend and on Monday, China deployed 10 more aircraft around the island.

Citing unnamed Chinese analysts, the Global Times wrote on Monday that the large-scale military flights around Taiwan over the weekend “showed that the PLA is capable of surrounding the island of Taiwan and blocking it from receiving foreign reinforcements, and also sent a strong warning to the coast guard agreement the U.S. signed with the island on Friday.”

On Friday, China deployed 20 warplanes including a dozen fighter jets and four bombers, in the largest-ever set of military flights around Taiwan. Those military flights continued over the weekend and on Monday, China deployed 10 more aircraft around the island.

Citing unnamed Chinese analysts, the Global Times wrote on Monday that the large-scale military flights around Taiwan over the weekend “showed that the PLA is capable of surrounding the island of Taiwan and blocking it from receiving foreign reinforcements, and also sent a strong warning to the coast guard agreement the U.S. signed with the island on Friday.”

Once again citing an unnamed Chinese analyst, Global Times wrote on Tuesday, “The recent exercises show that the PLA is continuing to increase its combat preparedness by making its routine exercises more complex and realistic and taking possible US and Japanese interventions into consideration.”

Analysts in Beijing and the Taiwanese capital of Taipei also told Newsweek that the recent Chinese military flights are notable because they exhibit “pincer-like” flight patterns intended to approach Taiwan from two directions and surround the island on three sides. The analysts told Newsweek the maneuvers could help China counter both U.S. and Japanese efforts to intervene on China’s behalf.

China maintains a claim of sovereignty over Taiwan, even as the island has governed itself as an independent nation for decades. Since 1972, the U.S. has affirmed China’s sovereignty claim through the One-China policy.

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