Taiwan conducts joint air defense drill against Chinese invasion

Taipei, Sept. 22 (CNA) Taiwan's military conducted a joint air defense drill on Tuesday simulating a response to an enemy air attack, involving all of Taiwan's air bases, as well as naval and surface-to-air missile units, according to the Military News Agency.

The drill began at dawn, with the Air Force scrambling F-16, Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) and Mirage 2000 fighter jets to intercept a simulated air attack by hostile forces, the agency said.

The nation's ground and maritime forces were also deployed in the joint operation, with the aim of testing the country's air defense abilities.

The drill came in the wake of recent incursions by Chinese warplanes into Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) or over the median line of the Taiwan Strait, resulting in Taiwan's Air Force having to scramble jet fighters to intercept and monitor their movements.

Multiple warplanes of the People's Liberation Army crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait or entered Taiwan's southwest ADIZ starting Sept. 16, and did so again on Sept. 18, 19 and 21.

Tuesday's joint exercise was overseen at the Republic of China Armed Forces Joint Operations Command Center in Dazhi District in Taipei by Defense Minister Yen De-fa (嚴德發), who said that on no account will Taiwan allow the enemy to step out of line, adding that its military will go all out to defend the country's sovereignty, democracy and freedom.