Taiwan on alert over China's incursions

Taipei, March 6

Taiwan Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said on Monday that the island has to be on alert this year for a “sudden entry” by the Chinese military into areas close to its territory amid rising military tensions across the Taiwan Strait.

China has stepped up military activities around Taiwan in recent years, including almost daily air force incursions into the island’s air defence identification zone.

However, Taiwan has not reported any incident of Chinese forces entering its contiguous zone, which is 24 nautical miles from its coast. But it has shot down a drone that entered its airspace last year.

Answering questions from lawmakers in Parliament, Chiu said the PLA might find excuses to enter areas close to Taiwan’s territorial air and sea space as the island steps up its military exchanges with the US. — Reuters