Military aware of PLA aircraft, vessel operations near Taiwan

ROC Central News Agency

2018/12/18 17:23:32

Taipei, Dec. 18 (CNA) Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) said Tuesday it was aware that a number of Chinese aircraft and military vessels were operating near Taiwan during the day and that it was closely monitoring their movements.

Without naming exactly how many, a MND statement said a certain number of People's Liberation Army aircraft, including Xian H-6 (轟-6) bombers, Shaanxi Y-8 (運-8) transport aircraft, and Sukhoi-30 fighter jets, departed from PLA's Huiyang air base in Guangdong Province earlier Tuesday.

The aircraft flew over the Bashi Channel, the waterway south of Taiwan, on their way to the West Pacific Ocean for routine distant-sea exercises.

They were watched closely by Taiwanese jets until the aircraft returned to their base, the MND said.

Two PLA combat ships were also been detected traveling outside Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (AIDZ) in the West Pacific off Taiwan's southeastern coast, the MND said.

The two vessels were thought to be taking part in the same routine distant-sea exercises as the Chinese aircraft, according to the ministry.

The military continues to closely monitor the country's surrounding waters and airspace to ensure Taiwan's security, the MND said.

(By Joseph Yeh)
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