Japanese fighter jets were forced to scramble during an encounter with Chinese military aircraft over the weekend.
The incident took place over Western Pacific waters on consecutive days, according to Japan’s Defense Ministry, Knewz.com has learned.
According to Newsweek, the Joint Staff of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces released reports that showed China’s KQ-2000 maritime patrol aircraft in the area during Japanese pilots’ daytime sorties.
The Joint Staff’s report alleges that China’s turboprop support anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft was patrolling the Miyako Strait — an area between the Japanese islands of Miyako and Okinawa — during Japan’s sorties.
The Chinese military aircraft reportedly patrolled south of Japan’s southwest island before returning to the East China Sea.
The Miyako Strait is an important area for the Chinese navy, as it is one the few international waterways in which it can leave the first island chain and reach the Pacific Ocean.
The Luzon Strait between Taiwan and the Philippines is also a significant passageway for the Chinese navy.
Both areas are contested waters where the United States and its allies — and the Chinese — perform training drills.
The KQ-200 — which is similar to the U.S. Navy’s P-8 Poseidon — is frequently seen in the Taiwan airspace.
China’s presence around Taiwan — which it considers part of its territory — has been heavy in recent months.
As Knewz.com reported on February 27, Taiwan minister said Beijing had sent five Coast Guard ships into restricted waters around the Kinmen Islands on Monday, February 26, and they left after being warned off.
The intrusion was part of regular patrols launched by China after two fishermen died when their boat capsized after fleeing the Taiwanese Coast Guard earlier this month, according to Reuters.
The news agency quoted Kuan Bi-ling, the head of Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Council, as saying, “The political significance is high, which is a form of a declaration of sovereignty.”
The incident occurred a few days after China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, which manages its relationship with the island, said it did not recognize restricted waters around the Kinmen Islands.
The Kinmen Islands are Taiwanese territory less than two miles (three kilometers) from China. They also house a large military garrison, which was active during the Cold War.
Taiwan said it would not bolster its defenses around the islands despite Bejing’s recent conduct.
However, Taiwan’s Defense Minister told Reuters that he hoped the situation could be “smoothly handled” and did not “want to see any combat conditions occur.”
Beijing has ramped up its activity around the islands after it said Taiwan acted “maliciously” when the Coast Guard pursued the fleeing fishing boats, which eventually resulted in the accident.
On Sunday, February 25, Beijing sent on a law enforcement patrol around the Kinmen Islands and near where the fishermen died, although they did not enter restricted waters.
The fleet of ships conducted vessel checks and issued warnings to boats in the area, according to the South China Morning Post.
The Post cited a Coast Guard video in which the Coast Guard verbally warned other boats, “I am China Coast Guard Ship 2202. Please advise your ship’s departure port, destination port, and purpose for coming to this sea area.”
As RadarOnline.com reported on October 23, 2023, Russia, China, and North Korea are reportedly planning to use the conflict between Israel and Hamas as a “smokescreen” to implement a “new world order.”
In a concerning development to come as the war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group continues to escalate in Gaza, sources familiar with the matter suggested that Russia, China, and North Korea will use the ongoing chaos to launch fresh attacks against Ukraine, Taiwan, and South Korea.
The post Chinese Spy Plane Prompts Japanese Fighter Jets Response 2 Days in a Row appeared first on Knewz.
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Author: David Wetzel
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