The Telegraph
Chinese fighter jets buzz Taiwan for second day as tensions rise to Biden term
China increased its pressure on democratic Taiwan this past weekend, with an unusually large number of fighter jets approaching the island in a “test” for the new government of US President Joe Biden. On Sunday, 12 Chinese fighter jets entered Taiwan’s air protection identification zone, along with a reconnaissance aircraft and two aircraft, the Ministry of Defense said. A day earlier, China had sent eight bombers carrying nuclear weapons and four fighter jets to the same area southwest of the island, as well as one reconnaissance aircraft. On both occasions, Taiwan sent aircraft, issued radio alerts to Chinese aircraft, and deployed air defense missile systems to monitor their activities. Beijing claims self-governing Taiwan as part of its territory and is angry at an increase in US support for Taiwan during Donald Trump’s administration. In recent months, China has regularly, sometimes daily, launched attacks to put pressure on President Tsai Ing-wen’s government to accept Beijing’s demand that it recognize Taiwan as part of China. These attacks have usually consisted of only one or two reconnaissance aircraft in recent weeks, rather than the warplanes seen over the weekend.