South China Sea: Beijing sparks war fears with Taiwan after second fighter jet incursion | World | News
On Saturday, a spokesman for the US State Department reaffirmed previous calls for China “to cease its military, diplomatic and economic pressure against Taiwan.”
He added Beijing should “instead engage in meaningful dialogue with Taiwan’s democratically elected representatives.”
The news comes after China flew a squadron of fighter jets in Taiwan’s air defence region on Friday.
Four J-16s and four JH-7s, and an electronic warfare aircraft, flew into the country’s defence zone near the Pratas Islands in the southwestern region of its air space.
Consequently, Taiwan’s airforce was ordered to trigger it’s missile mechanism and sent radio warnings, according to Taiwan’s Defence Ministry.
China said the incursion was its response to what it believes is “collusion” between Taiwan, which Beijing claims as Chinese territory, and the United States.
The Biden administration has no diplomatic ties with Taipei but has vowed to continue giving it its “rock solid” backing.
“I also shared concerns about Beijing’s economic practices, human rights abuses, and coercion of Taiwan.”
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has vowed to defend Taiwan’s independence and is determined to oversea an overhaul of the military.
This includes developing a fleet of new submarines, buying new F-16 fighters from the United States and upgrading its warships.
