A P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance plane flew over the Taiwan Strait yesterday, the US Navy’s 7th Fleet said.
The Poseidon flew in international airspace, the 7th Fleet said.
“By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations,” it said in a statement. “The aircraft’s transit of the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
Photo: Reuters
China’s military said it monitored the aircraft and accused the US of provocative behavior in the Strait.
The previous time a P-8A flew over the Taiwan Strait was in February, prompting a similar reaction from China.
China last year said that it has sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the Taiwan Strait, and it was “a false claim” to refer to it as international waters.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of National Defense said that 19 Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone on Thursday and early yesterday, including a TB-001 uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV).
The drone was detected entering the southwestern part of the zone and flew to the zone’s southernmost, southeastern and eastern sections before returning to China from north of Taiwan, the ministry said.
Nicknamed the “Twin-Tailed Scorpion,” the TB-001 is a medium-altitude, long-range combat UAV manufactured by Sichuan Tengden Technology.
Thirty-eight Chinese military aircraft were detected in the vicinity of Taiwan between 6am on Thursday and 6am yesterday by Taiwan’s armed forces, which also reported six Chinese naval vessels, ministry data showed.
Among the Chinese warplanes, five Su-30 fighter jets and two J-16s were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait, while eight J-10s, and two Y-8 anti-submarine and reconnaissance planes flew into the southwestern part of the air zone, the ministry said.
In addition to the TB-001, a BZK-005 UAV was spotted flying south of Taiwan, it said.
The BZK-005 entered Taiwan’s southwestern air zone, crossed the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines and headed back to China through the southeastern part of the zone, the data showed.
The six Chinese naval vessels were still operating in waters around Taiwan as of yesterday morning, the ministry said.
The ministry said that it scrambled planes to monitor the Chinese aircraft, in addition to issuing radio warnings, mobilizing combat air and naval patrols, and deploying defensive missile systems.
Additional reporting by AFP
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