China sends scores of planes across central line in Taiwan Strait

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) – China sent 74 warplanes toward Taiwan between late Thursday and early Friday, 61 of which crossed the central line in the Taiwan Strait that unofficially divides the sides, an unusually large number as tensions remained heightened in the region.

It wasn’t clear why so many planes were scrambled between late Thursday and early Friday, as tabulated by Taiwan’s Defense Ministry. The planes were sent in two separate tranches, it added.

China considers Taiwan its own territory and uses such deployments to advertise its threat to encircle and possibly invade the self-governing island. China also hopes to intimidate Taiwan’s population of 23 million and wear down its equipment and the morale of its armed forces.

On Thursday, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs “confirmed and welcomed” the transit of the British Royal Navy’s off-shore patrol craft HMS Spey through the Taiwan Strait a day earlier. The ship’s transit, the ministry said, “once again (reaffirmed the Strait’s) status as international waters.”

“Such transits by the U.K. and other like-minded countries are encouraged to safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific,” the Foreign Ministry said.

Britain’s representative office in Taipei said in a statement that the Spey had conducted a navigation of the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law and rights provided under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

“Wherever the Royal Navy operates, it does so in full compliance with international law and exercises its right to Freedom of Navigation and overflight,” the statement added.

China responded angrily, saying the Eastern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army “organized troops to monitor and guard the entire process and effectively responded and dealt with it.”

The British ship’s action “deliberately disturbed the situation and undermined the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait,” the Eastern Theater Command said in a statement.

The bustling Taiwan Strait lies in international waters, but China objects to any transit or activity within it by foreign military vessels.

It wasn’t clear if the large number of Chinese warplanes sent on Thursday and Friday were related to the earlier sailing of the British ship.

Six military ships accompanied the Chinese planes, which ranged from drones to fighter jets and early warning and other support aircraft. Taiwan deployed ships, fighter interceptors and land-based missile systems in response.