Taiwan President Praises Air Force for Response to Chinese 'Provocations'

(Patria) – Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen on Tuesday praised the 'heroic performance' of air force pilots who intercepted Chinese aircraft that approached the island in yet another attempt by official Beijing to exert military pressure on democratic Taiwan.

Tensions between China and the island, which Beijing considers sovereign Chinese territory, reached a peak last week when Taiwanese fighter jets scrambled to intercept Chinese aircraft.

Tsai subsequently visited the main air base in Penghu, in the sensitive Taiwan Strait that separates the two sides, and addressed pilots and engineers:

– I have great confidence in you. As soldiers of the Republic of China, how could you allow the enemy to flaunt themselves in our airspace, said Tsai, using Taiwan's official name.

She added that she is aware of the weight of frontline duty involved in 'confronting the provocative behavior of communist aircraft that have surrounded the island and disrupted regional peace in recent days'.

One of the senior officers of the Taiwanese Air Force, Wang Chia-chu, told Reuters that fighter jets can scramble within 5 minutes of a Chinese aircraft being detected.

Another officer, who wished to remain anonymous, revealed that the air force scrambles 'almost every day' due to rising tensions.

Although Taiwanese aircraft have been forced to scramble multiple times this year, Chinese aircraft 'crossed the line' of the Taiwan Strait last week, which represents an unofficial barrier for fighter jets of both sides, although they did not fly over Taiwanese territory.

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs commented on Monday that such a line does not exist, which drew condemnation from Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, who called the line a significant 'symbol' that helps avoid military conflicts, and urged other countries to condemn China.

– We demand that the international community strongly condemn China's words and actions, and demand that the Chinese government stop everything it is doing, Wu added.

China is further angered by US support for democratic Taiwan, once again confirmed last week by the visit of US Under Secretary of Economic Affairs Keith Krach.