20 Chinese Aircraft, 14 Vessels Conduct Operations Around Taiwan, China Says Drills Will Now Be Regular Occurrence

20 Chinese military aircraft and 14 Chinese vessels conducted an air-sea operation on the surrounding area of Taiwan on August 6th, 2022. Chinese state-run television says that China will be carrying out regular drills east of the median line of the Taiwan Strait from now on, on a regular basis.

By Donald Standeford, SJ Founder/Publisher
August 07, 2022 12:00 am UTC
Modified: August 07, 2022 12:00 am

20 Chinese military aircraft and 14 Chinese vessels "conducted an air-sea operation on the surrounding area of the R.O.C. [Taiwan] on August 6th, 2022 according to Taiwan's Ministry of Defense. Chinese state-run television also says that China will be carrying out "regular" drills east of the median line of the Taiwan Strait from now on.

The Chinese military aircraft included: Four SU-30 multi-role fighter aircraft, four J-16 fighter jets, four J-11 fighter jets, one Y-8 antisubmarine warfare aircraft, and one Y-202 Aerial Refueling aircraft.

CAP aircraft were tasked, radio warnings were issued and air defense missile systems were deployed in order to monitor the activities of the Chinese activities.

Taiwan's Ministry of Defense posted a statement on August 6th saying, "Multiple PLA craft were detected around Taiwan Strait, some have crossed the median line. The possible simulated attack against HVA. #ROCArmedForces have utilized alert broadcast, aircraft in CAP, patrolling naval vessels, and land-based missile systems in response to this situation."

Another statement by Taiwan's MOD said, "#ROCNavy Destroyer Magong has watched the movement of PLAN frigate Maanshan. Security can be found where we are as our sailors patrolling our territory through night and day and upholding our sovereignty."

Analysts say that they believe that China is practicing a blockade and invasion of the island of Taiwan. While the exercises ended today, China has announced new exercises in the Yellow Sea, which is located between mainland China and Korea, which are set to be carried out until August 15th, 2022.

According to Taiwan's transport industry, there were seven "temporary danger zones", six of which China had warned airlines to avoid, though at 12 pm on Sunday the warning to the airlines around those locations had expired.

The seventh zone, located east of Taiwan still remains effective until 10 am on Monday local time, at which point the ministry said in a statement, "Relevant flights and sailings can gradually resume," as routes in the seventh area are still being affected. Taiwan continues to monitor the activities of Chinese vessels in the area.

Early Sunday morning China carried out "practical joint exercises in the sea and airspace surrounding Taiwan Island as planned," according to a statement by the Chinese military's Eastern Command.

The statement said that the focus of the Chinese drills in the area was centered around "testing the joint firepower on the ground and long-range air strike capabilities."

Taiwan's Defense Ministry in turn said that China had flown "planes, vessels and drones" around the Taiwan Strait, ""simulating attacks on Taiwan's main island and on ships in our waters".

The Defense Ministry added that China had flown drones over Taiwan's outer islands as well, to which Taiwan responded with a "joint intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance system to closely monitor the enemy situation".

Chinese state media also reported that they had fired ballistic missiles over the capital of Taiwan and released videos of the missiles being launched from mainland China.

Taiwan's foreign ministry put out a statement urging China "immediately stop raising tensions and taking provocative actions to intimidate the Taiwanese people".

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said while he was meeting his counterpart in the Philippines said that Washington is "determined to act responsibly" in order to avoid a major global crisis.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, on the other hand, said that the United States will "not allow" China to isolate Taiwan, after her visit to the island sparked tension with China.

"They may try to keep Taiwan from visiting or participating in other places, but they will not isolate Taiwan by preventing us to travel there … We will not allow them to isolate Taiwan," Pelosi said.

She added that her visit to the region was "not about changing the status quo" but that "It’s about Taiwan Relations Act, U.S.-China policy, all pieces of legislation and agreements that established our relationship-have peace in Taiwan Straits and have status quo prevail".

She said that Taiwan is "one of the freest countries in the world" and that it has "a great democracy with a thriving economy."

"If we do not speak out for human rights in China because of commercial interests, we lose all moral authority to speak about human rights any place in the world," she added.

"Again, it isn’t about our visit determining what the U.S.-China relationship is. It’s a much bigger and longer-term challenge, and one that we have to recognize that we have to work together in certain areas."