Taiwan conducted an air defense test on Tuesday, deploying U.S.-made Patriot missiles and its anti-aircraft artillery system, and said it would step up training to deal with an “incursion” by Chinese troops around the self-governing island.
Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has said it would not rule out using force to bring the island under its control.
Chinese warplanes and ships have been operating around the island of Taiwan on an almost daily basis, and Beijing has stepped up military pressure on Taipei using what experts call “grey zone” operations – a strategy to avoid outright acts of war.
Taiwan’s Air Force Command said it conducted an exercise between 5:00 and 7:00 am (2100-2300 GMT on Monday) that included Taiwan’s domestically produced Tiangong and US-made Patriots surface-to-air missiles and army and naval forces. .
“The purpose is to verify the command and control capabilities of the three-services joint air defense operations,” the statement said, adding that the exercise went smoothly.
“In the face of frequent incursions into Taiwan’s airspace and sea areas by PLA aircraft and ships, the Air Force will continue to intensify training to deal with potential threats.”
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has denied China’s claims to the island, leading Beijing to cut off all high-level communications since she came to power in 2016.
During her eight-year term, she increased defense spending, purchased military weapons and developed Taiwanese-made equipment such as submarines and ships.
On Tuesday, Tsai Ing-wen oversaw the handover of two domestically produced warships — both Tuojiang-class frigates — at the port of Suao in northeast Yilan County.
Tsai Ing-wen said in her speech: “In the past few years, we have steadily implemented national defense independence, and Taiwan-made warships have been named, launched, and put into service one after another, and the pace is getting faster and faster.”
“These achievements have repeatedly proven Taiwan’s domestic shipbuilding capabilities and our determination to defend democracy and freedom.”
She also praised the ships as being designed for stealthy multi-missions and being easy to maneuver, a year ahead of schedule.
Taipei’s Defense Ministry said 13 Chinese aircraft and seven naval vessels were spotted around Taiwan in the 24 hours to 6:00 a.m. Tuesday.
Last week, Taiwan spotted 36 Chinese military aircraft flying around the island in 24 hours, the highest number in a single day this year.
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