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Taiwan Accuses China of Constructing Coastal Airfield to Achieve ‘Air Superiority’


Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense said that Beijing was building airfields and stationing new fighters and drones along the coastline facing the island.

China has been completing its airfield construction along the coastline facing Taiwan to gain “superior air power” against the self-ruling island, Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense said.

The ministry released its annual defense report (pdf) on Sept. 12, the first report since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Taiwan’s Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said the report would allow people to understand national security threats.

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“We will tell the world with our readiness and combat preparedness that we will not sit and wait for our fate to be decided,” Mr. Chiu stated.

In the report, the ministry said that Beijing was building airfields and stationing new fighters and drones along the coastline of its eastern and southern theatre commands to “put pressure” on Taiwan’s air defense.

The report says that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) uses “targeted strategic arrangements” and “planned realistic combat training and exercises” to bolster its preparedness against Taiwan.

During its major exercises, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) would send reconnaissance aircraft, drones, and spy boats to collect intelligence on Taiwan’s military activities and major weapon systems.

“Based on its operational scenarios against Taiwan over the years, the PLA has been executing a variety of realistic operational training and exercises and is intended to use its cross-island chain long-distance flight and voyage activities to reinforce its potential operations against Taiwan and the capability to deny foreign forces’ involvement,” it says.

Customers dine near a giant screen broadcasting news footage of aircraft under the Eastern Theatre Command of the Chinese military taking part in a combat readiness patrol and "Joint Sword" exercises around Taiwan, at a restaurant in Beijing on April 10, 2023. (Tingshu Wang/Reuters)
Customers dine near a giant screen broadcasting news footage of aircraft under the Eastern Theatre Command of the Chinese military taking part in a combat readiness patrol and “Joint Sword” exercises around Taiwan, at a restaurant in Beijing on April 10, 2023. (Tingshu Wang/Reuters)

The report says that the PLA could potentially enforce blockades on Taiwan’s ports, airports, military facilities, and air and sea lines of communication to achieve its operational goal of “grounding all aircraft and anchoring all vessels.”

At the same time, the Chinese military could disrupt inbound and outbound air and maritime routes to lower Taiwan’s sustainability of defensive operations, it added.

Taiwan to Create Rock-Solid Defense


Taiwan has vowed to create “a rock-solid defense power” and enhance its combat readiness to deter any military threats.

The ministry said the Taiwanese military would monitor obvious indicators of enemy invasion and “preemptively strike its mobilizing invasion forces” with precision weapons.

“We will not yield an inch of our sovereign lands and will be unwavering in upholding democracy and freedom,” Mr. Chiu said in the report.

The CCP regards Taiwan as a renegade province that must be united with mainland China by any means necessary, even as Taiwan has been a self-governing democracy.

Chinese incursions into Taiwan have occurred almost daily as the CCP increased military pressure on the self-ruled island. A total of 35 Chinese warplanes were detected near Taiwan on Sept. 13, with 28 of the detected



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