China – Taiwan Tension: Why is China increasing its military pressure on Taiwan?

China – Taiwan Tension: China on October 4, 2021, sent a record number of at least 150 military fighter jets, bombers, and other warplanes into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) for the fourth consecutive day wherein Taiwan detected at least 52 planes including 36 fighter jets, 12 H-6 bombers, 4 fighter jets, 2 transport aircraft, and 2 surveillance aircraft. Starting October 1, 2021, Beijing marked the founding of the People’s Republic of China by sending 38 warplanes including nuclear-capable H-6 bombers into Taiwan’s ADIZ. Following the next day, it marked a new record air incursion with 39 planes and the next day with 16 more planes.

The air incursions on October 4 came in hours after the US condemned China for provocative and destabilizing military activity into Taiwan’s ADIZ for the past three consecutive days. “We urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure and coercion against Taiwan,” stated the US State Department. In September 2021, Beijing reportedly flew 117 planes into Taiwan’s ADIZ.

China-Taiwan relations: What does China want from Taiwan?

Beijing has claimed Taiwan as a province of China. Under the leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has increased the number of air incursions over the past two years. The PLA has been sending military aircraft or planes into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on a nearly daily basis. Chinese President Xi Jinping has made the unification of China and Taiwan under ‘One China’ as a key goal of his presidency. In 2019, he asserted to use force to bring back Taiwan, if necessary.

Beijing considers the democratically elected government of Taiwan as separatists however, the President of Taiwan Tsai Ing-wen has said that Taiwan is a sovereign country that need not declare independence. Taiwan’s Defence Ministry on October 6 stated that China could be much more capable of launching a full-scale invasion of Taiwan by 2025.

Taiwan’s Political Status – Background

Taiwan claims itself as an independent country that broke away from Mainland China when the Communists seized power in 1949 and the Central Government relocated to Taiwan. It is an island separated from China by the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan has its own constitution, democratically elected leaders, media, currency, military, and a population of 23 million people. The Capital of Taiwan is Taipei. The US and Australia do not recognize the claims of Beijing over Taiwan.

What is Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ)?

An Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) is an airspace zone that may extend beyond the territory of a country that allows the countries to identify, monitor, control, and react to aircraft entering this zone with potential air threats. The concept of ADIZ is not regulated by any international body. About 20 countries including India, China, Canada, Japan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Finland, South Korea, Sweden, Iran, Iceland, Norway, the US, and the UK. North Korea and Russia also have an unofficial ADIZ.

Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) is the air defense zone that the island uses to identify, monitor, control, and react to threats and aircraft. Taiwan’s ADIZ extends into an area over the Taiwan Strait and a large area of the China mainland including the East China Sea.

The United States Armed Forces (USAF) had created Taiwan’s ADIZ after World War II. Taiwan’s Defense considers military fighter jets, bombers, and other warplanes crossing an unofficial media line between China and Taiwan as an air incursion.