PLA

“Hold your own elections, don’t interfere with ours,” foreign minister tells Beijing as Chinese military launches combat drills around Taiwan

composite image showing Chinese fighter aircraft and naval vessel
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , , ,

Taiwan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu accused Beijing of trying to interfere with an upcoming national election in Taiwan, after the Chinese military launched military exercises in sea and airspace around the island nation today, August 19. China’s People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command announced the drills on the PLA’s official Weibo account this morning, saying that it was carrying out joint naval and air combat readiness patrols around Taiwan focusing on ship-aircraft coordination to test seizing control of

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Taiwan flags Chinese civilian car carriers as threat to national security

roll-on/roll-off ship with ramp on dock
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , , , ,

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense is cooperating with the National Coast Guard Administration and National Police Agency to jointly monitor the movements of Chinese commercial car carriers docking in Taiwan, and vehicle ferries operating in and around the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan’s top military intelligence unit, the National Security Bureau, reported to the Legislative Yuan May 23 on the potential risks of the roll-on/roll-off ships to Taiwan’s security, saying that the MND is cooperating with the coast guard and police to

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“The new normal:” Chinese drone circles Taiwan for second time in a week

composite image showing BZK-005 uav and flight path around Taiwan
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , , ,

The Chinese military flew a drone around Taiwan yesterday, May 2, just six days after it made the first encirclement using a bomber drone on April 27, rapidly escalating the maneuver from unprecedented to “new normal.” According to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense, a People’s Liberation Army Air Force BZK-005 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flew eastwards from the Chinese coast, crossing the center line of the Taiwan Strait in the north, then passing between Yonaguni Island, Japan, and Taiwan’s east

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What response as Chinese military surrounds and harasses Taiwan?

Taiwan military anti-aircraft gun juxtaposed with 101 building, Xinyi District, Taipei City
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

Taiwan’s military forces are on the alert and actively responding to provocative actions by the Chinese military as China lays siege to the island in a “rehearsal” for an encirclement and possible invasion of the island nation, but no international friends have come forward in any significant way to deter the aggressive act. On the first day of a three-day exercise dubbed “United Sword” by People’s Republic of China, Chinese warships and aircraft crossed the once-respected center line of the

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Chinese warships appear off Taiwan’s east coast ahead of Pelosi visit

PLA type 055 missile destroyer
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

A Chinese missile destroyer and a missile frigate were detected 45 nautical miles southeast of Taiwan’s Orchid Island this morning, as tensions rise ahead of speculation that US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi will arrive later today and meet with Taiwan’s parliamentary body tomorrow. A visit by Pelosi, second-in-line to the American Presidency would mark the highest level visit of an American official since then House Speaker Newt Gingrich visited Taiwan in 1997. While Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs

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Foreign pilot spotted after Chinese air force jet crash suspected to be Russian

composite image showing plane wreckage, Chinese pilot, foreign pilot
Regional 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

Pictures circulating on Chinese social media sites show that one of two pilots who parachuted from a People’s Liberation Army Air Force jet that crashed in Henan Province, China, two days ago, is a foreigner suspected to be of Russian nationality. The L-15 Falcon advanced trainer aircraft allegedly crashed in Caolou Village, Zhangji Township, Yucheng County on April 23. However, some sources report that the crash occurred in Huoshan County, Lu’an City, Anhui Province. Video footage of the incident showed

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Chinese air force’s new aerial tanker seen flying in Taiwan ADIZ for first time

composite image of Y-20U and Taiwan ADIZ incursions
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

A recently developed aircraft designed to extend the range China’s air combat forces was detected flying in airspace southwest of Taiwan today, November 28. The Y-20U aerial tanker was one of 27 aircraft to draw a response from Taiwan’s air defence forces by flying into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) today. Fifteen of the sorties continued through the Bashi Channel to into airspace over the Philippine Sea southeast of Taiwan. According to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense, among the

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Chinese fighter jet rumored to have crash-landed on river in Henan Province

crashed J-10S fighter aircraft Henan China
Regional 
Phillip Charlier 2 Comments , ,

A People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) J-10S two-seater fighter aircraft crash landed on a river in Henan Province, yesterday, October 22, according to a video circulating on Chinese social media. Reports in Taiwan’s United Daily News and Liberty Times say that the J-10S crashed on the bank of the Jialu River after the pilots ejected and parachuted into the river. The jet aircraft appeared mostly intact, but had a damaged nose according to video and photographic evidence. The pilots

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China intensifies gray-zone warfare with record-breaking 39 flights into Taiwan defence zone in single day

PLA H-6 bomber shadowed by ROC Airforce F-16
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 3 Comments , , ,

China sent 39 military aircraft into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone Saturday, October 2, one more than the previous record set just one day earlier. Ministry of National Defense officials said Saturday evening that the PLA Air Force had flown 20 sorties, including 14 J-16 fighters, 4 Sukai-30 fighters, and 2 Yun-8 anti-submarine aircraft into the southwest section of Taiwan’s ADIZ during the day. At midnight, the MND announced that a further 19 sorties had been flown after nightfall, including

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China sends record 28 military flights into Taiwan ADIZ in one day: a response to G7 summit statement?

Chinese J-11 fighter jet.
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

The People’s Republic of China made 28 military aircraft incursions into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) today, June 15, a record number that follows an ‘unprecedented’ communique from the Group of Seven that highlighted the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait just two days ago. The G7 communique issued June 13 reiterated the importance of maintaining a free and open Indo Pacific, and mentioning Taiwan for the first time in the group’s history, stated “We underscore

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An intense day of Chinese-US military maneuvers around Taiwan

USS Theodore exercises in the South China Sea
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

US and Chinese military activity around Taiwan intensified April 7, with a US aircraft carrier group exercising in the South China Sea, a Chinese aircraft carrier group operating in waters east of Taiwan, a US destroyer transiting the Taiwan Strait, and Taiwan fighters scrambled against 15 Chinese aircraft entering Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). The Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning, accompanied by a type 055 destroyer, two type 052 destroyers, a type 054 frigate, and a supply ship sailed though

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