Tuesday, October 5, 2021

U.S., China Military Drills Highlight Rising Tensions Over Taiwan

Bloomberg: Dueling U.S., China Military Drills Highlight Rising Taiwan Risk 

(Bloomberg) -- Taiwan is the focus of rival displays of might by the world’s major military powers this week, with record sorties by Chinese military planes off one coast and flotillas of U.S. and allied warships off another. 

The 56 People’s Liberation Army aircraft that entered Taiwan’s air-defense-identification zone Monday represented the largest such incursion to date, and followed a similar record over the weekend. The flights, which drew a rebuke from the Biden administration, followed an unusually large exercise by American allies with three aircraft carriers sailing in training exercises in the nearby East Philippine Sea. 

China has steadily ramped up flights in Taiwan’s ADIZ in recent years as President Xi Jinping seeks to deter Washington and Taipei from forging closer ties, fueling calls for a more coordinated international response. The latest uptick in PLA Air Force patrols, which coincided with China’s weeklong National Day holiday, appeared intended to signal Beijing’s resolve to control the air space between its coast and Taiwan in the event of any conflict.  

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WNU Editor: Both sides are positioning themselves through these military exercises, and in the case of China, catering to their homegrown audience.

 As for the future. I expect these exercises from both sides will continue at the pace that we have seen this year.

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