Taiwan Deploys Missiles After Chinese Jets ‘Enter Its Air Zone’ - FARS

 (FNA)- Taiwan’s air force has activated its missile system after eight Chinese fighter jets flew into the Southwestern part of its air defence identification zone, in an uptick in tensions as Taipei announced a new defence minister and intelligence chief.

Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said on Friday four Chinese J-16s and four JH-7s, as well as an electronic warfare aircraft, flew near the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands in the top part of the South China Sea, into the Southwestern area of its air defence identification zone, Al-Jazeera reported.

The ministry said Taiwan’s air force was scrambled, with “radio warnings issued and air defence missile systems deployed to monitor the activity”.

In recent months China has increased its military activity around the democratic island it claims as Chinese territory. Beijing says it is responding to what it calls “collusion” between Taipei and Washington, Taiwan’s most important international backer and weapons supplier.

Chinese aircraft fly in the Southwestern corner of the zone on an almost daily basis, though the last such large-scale incursion was on January 24 when 12 Chinese fighter jets were involved.

There was no immediate comment from China...