Chinese warplane intrusions increase political pressure on Taiwan: Expert

Taipei, April 29 (CNA) Chinese military aircraft flying as close as 37 nautical miles to Taiwan's northern city of Keelung is an example of Beijing exerting political pressure on Taiwan's incoming government before its inauguration on May 20, a local expert on national defense and security has said.

Ten Chinese military aircraft were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait from 6:38 a.m. to 1:38 p.m. on Saturday, including an unspecified number that flew as close as 37 nautical miles (68.5 kilometers) from Keelung, according to information released by the Ministry of National Defense.

Shu Hsiao-huang (舒孝煌), an associate research fellow at the government-funded think tank Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said Sunday Chinese warplanes coming so close to Keelung serves a "political and military purpose."

He elaborated that militarily, it was intended to continuously compress Taiwan's airspace.

During an actual battle, no hostile aircraft would fly that close to Taiwan, because 37 nautical miles is within the interception range of Taiwan's anti-air missiles, Shu said, adding that the range of missiles mounted on Chinese warplanes is even greater.

He observed that Chinese military aircraft crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait and flying close to Taiwan proper is intended to "deliberately create a tense atmosphere," by engaging in "gray zone operations" during peacetime.

It is meant to continue political pressure on Taiwan's new government before it takes office on May 20, Shu said, warning that similar practices by China's military will only increase as the date comes near.

Meanwhile, retired Air Force Lieutenant General Chang Yen-ting (張延廷) told CNA that he believes Chinese warplanes will come closer to Taiwan in the future as part of an attempt to demonstrate its air combat capability.

In response to the latest Chinese warplane activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan, the defense ministry said Taiwan's armed forces have monitored the situation and employed combat air patrol aircraft, Navy vessels and coastal missile systems.

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