Chinese warplanes pass through Bashi Channel, Miyako Strait

TAIPEI -- China sent warplanes on a long-range drill to the Western Pacific on Monday, most of them passing through the Bashi Channel south of Taiwan and some through the Miyako Strait of southern Japan.

The defense ministry said the warplanes, which included the KJ-500 early warning and control aircraft, the H-6K nuclear-capable bomber, the Y-8 military transport plane, and Su-30 and J-11 fighters, left from base in southern China.

It said they flew to the Western Pacific through the Bashi Channel, a waterway between Orchid Island of southeastern Taiwan and Y'Ami Island of the Philippines. All took the same route back to base except the H-6K bombers, which flew north and returned via the Miyako Strait.

The ministry said military aircraft were scrambled and navy ships were dispatched to monitor the situation.

Since Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen of the independence-minded Democratic Progressive Party took office in May 2016, Beijing has intensified its efforts to intimidate Taiwan militarily, increasing the number and frequency of patrols that circle the island with planes and warships.

In December last year, the People's Liberation Army conducted its first long-range drill in the Western Pacific after Taiwan held its island-wide local elections in November.

On March 31, two Chinese J-11 fighter jets flew across the median line into Taiwan's southwestern airspace for more than 10 minutes, a move the United States criticized by saying "Beijing's efforts to unilaterally alter the status quo are harmful and do not contribute to regional stability."

Local media reported that it was the first time since 1999 that Chinese warplanes flew across the median line, which was drawn through the Taiwan Strait by the United States in the 1950s to delineate areas controlled by Taipei and Beijing.

Taiwan has been governed separately from the mainland since the two split amid a civil war in 1949. Beijing has since considered Taiwan a renegade province awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.

Source: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20190416/p2g/00m/0in/043000c