Taiwan soldiers fire warning flares to expel Chinese drones

09/02/2022 06:52 PM

To activate the text-to-speech service, please first agree to the privacy policy below.

A police officer demonstrates the use of a drone jamming gun. CNA file photo

Taipei, Sept. 2 (CNA) Soldiers stationed on Taiwan's Lieyu Islet fired warning flares after several civilian-operated Chinese drones were spotted in the vicinity at two separate intervals on Friday.

The incursions occurred between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. over Lieyu Township, a small island in the offshore Kinmen County, which lies about 10 kilometers off the coast of China's Fujian province, the Kinmen Defense Command said in a statement.

After Taiwan soldiers fired the flares, the drones quickly left the area and flew toward Xiamen in China, it said, without giving any information on the number of drones.

Frontline soldiers stationed in Kinmen and the Matsu Islands are now being supplied with drone jamming guns, a military official familiar with the matter told CNA Friday on condition of anonymity.

When asked about the drone jamming guns, the Ministry of National Defense declined to comment, saying only that Taiwan's military will take all necessary steps to counter any potential threats by China.

The drone incursions on Friday occurred one day after Taiwan's military shot down a Chinese civilian drone the previous day, the first such incident since Taiwan's government ordered a more robust response to unauthorized incursions.

The Kinmen Defense Command did not give any details about the type of weapons used to shoot drown the drone or how many shots had been fired.

(By Matt Yu and Ko Lin)

Enditem/pc

> Chinese Version

Sept. 1: 53 Chinese planes detected around Taiwan, with 14 having crossed median line

Aug. 31: MND details China's 'grey zone' warfare tactics against Taiwan

Aug. 30: China's drone incursions to set new normal unacceptable: U.S. official

Aug. 26: 15 Chinese planes cross Taiwan Strait median line during U.S. Senator visit