Chinese jet incursions reach 159MONTHLY DATA: There have been more than 1,000 sorties since the defense ministry began making data public, with October the busiest month with 196 planesAFP, TAIPEIChinese warplanes made 159 incursions into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone last month, Agence France-Presse data showed, the second-highest monthly number on record. Over the past 14 months, the sabre-rattling has reached new peaks after Beijing began sending an increasing number of warplanes into the zone, which Chinese military aircraft had previously largely avoided. In Taipei, the Ministry of National Defense began making the Chinese warplane incursions public in September last year and AFP has built a database collecting details of the flights, which have been increasing in size and frequency. The incursions last month included 100 by fighter jets and nine by China’s nuclear-capable H6 bombers. October remains the busiest month on record with 196 incursions, 149 of which were made over just four days as Beijing marked China’s National Day.

Source: Taipei Times December 04, 2021 22:13 UTC