Taiwan has said a large incursion of Chinese military jets flew into its air defence zone on Sunday.

The defence ministry said 19 aircraft including fighters and nuclear-capable bombers entered its so-called air defence identification zone (ADIZ).

Taipei has been complaining for more than a year about repeated missions by China's air force near the island.

China sees democratic Taiwan as a breakaway province, but Taiwan sees itself as a sovereign state.

Taiwan's defence ministry said Sunday's mission by the Chinese air force involved four H-6 bombers which can carry nuclear weapons as well as an anti-submarine aircraft.

The ministry released a map showing a flight path northeast of the Pratas, closer to the Chinese coast than the Taiwanese coast.

Missile systems were deployed and combat aircraft was dispatched to warn away the Chinese planes, the ministry added.

China has not yet officially commented.

Beijing often launches such missions to express displeasure at comments made by Taiwan.

In June, it sent 18 military jets into the ADIZ - the largest incursion reported by Taiwan to date.

It is not clear what prompted the latest mission.

However, last week Taiwan's defence ministry warned that China's armed forces could "paralyse" Taiwan's defences and that the Chinese threat is growing.

Source: BBC

BDST: 1151 HRS, SEP 06, 2021
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