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☆ Taiwan president thanks fighter pilots as Chinese drills ebb
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Taiwan Presidential Office/Handout via REUTERS/File PhotoTAIPEI, April 14 (Reuters) - Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Friday thanked fighter pilots who scrambled against China's air force during its drills around the island and pledged to keep strengthening the armed forces, as Beijing's military activities around the island ebbed. On Friday morning, Taiwan's defence ministry said it had not spotted any Chinese military aircraft crossing the sensitive median line of the Taiwan Strait in the past 24 hours. In its regular morning report on Chinese military activities in the previous 24-hour period, Taiwan's defence ministry said it had seen four Chinese military aircraft and eight Chinese warships around Taiwan. But in an accompanying map of China's activities it did not show any Chinese warplanes crossing the Taiwan Strait's median line, an unofficial boundary between the two. China says it does not recognise the median line and has since August, when it staged war games after then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, flown fighter jets regularly across it.

☆ Explainer: Why is China so angry about Taiwan president meeting US Speaker McCarthy?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Here are the key issues in Taiwan-U.S., China-U.S. and Taiwan-China relations, why China is so angry about the meeting and what it might do to express its anger:WHY IS CHINA SO ANGRY? China staged war games around Taiwan last August after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei, and has threatened unspecified retaliation if the McCarthy meeting goes ahead. Taiwan's official name continues to be the Republic of China, though these days the government often stylises it as the Republic of China (Taiwan). She says the Republic of China and People's Republic of China are "not subordinate" to each other. Beijing says Tsai must accept that both China and Taiwan are part of "one China".

☆ Taiwan sees less severe China reaction to president's U.S. meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File PhotoTAIPEI, March 30 (Reuters) - Taiwan expects a less severe reaction from China to an expected meeting between President Tsai Ing-wen and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and has not seen any unusual Chinese military movements, a senior Taiwan security official said on Thursday. Speaking at parliament, Taiwan National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen said they expected a less severe reaction to that meeting than when then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi came to Taipei and China staged war games around Taiwan after she left. "She will be meeting in the United States, so the political complexity is not as high as the speaker coming to Taiwan." But Taiwan has been keeping a close watch on China's military movements, said Tsai, adding: "At present there is nothing unusual". China is also hosting several senior foreign officials and leaders while President Tsai is away, meaning the timing would not be right for a strong military reaction against Taiwan, Tsai said.

☆ China to increase defense spending by 7.2%
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

China's air force shows off its L15 Falcon trainer at the Zhuhai Air Show in 2022. BEIJING — China is set to increase defense spending this year by 7.2% to 1.56 trillion yuan ($230 billion), according to a draft released Sunday by the Ministry of Finance. China's defense budget grew by 7.1% last year to 1.45 trillion yuan, faster than the 6.8% increase in 2021 and 6.6% climb in 2020, according to official data. In 2019, China's defense spending rose by 7.5% to 1.19 trillion yuan. The work report called for "resolute steps to oppose 'Taiwan independence'" while sticking to Beijing's call for "peaceful reunification."

☆ Taiwan reports 19 Chinese air force planes in its air defence zone
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TAIPEI, March 1 (Reuters) - Taiwan's defence ministry said on Wednesday it had spotted 19 Chinese air force planes in its air defence zone in the past 24 hours, part of what Taipei calls regular harassment by Beijing. Taiwan's defence ministry said 19 J-10 fighters had flown into the southwestern corner of the island's air defence identification zone, or ADIZ, though closer to the Chinese coast than Taiwan's according to a map the ministry released. Taiwan's forces monitored the situation, including sending up its own air force planes, the ministry added, using the normal phrasing for its response to such Chinese incursions. No shots have been fired and the Chinese aircraft have been flying in Taiwan's ADIZ, not in its territorial air space. The ADIZ is a broader area Taiwan monitors and patrols that acts to give it more time to respond to any threats.

☆ China is getting rid of its 'grandpa' fighter jets, but they may make a comeback for a one-way mission against Taiwan
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

China's last J-7 fighter jets may leave active service this year, according to Chinese state media. China's air force may convert some J-7s into drones, which could be used in an attack on Taiwan. (Between its air force and navy, China now has the world's third-largest aviation force, according to the Pentagon.) A J-7 fighter at the People's Liberation Army Aviation Museum in Beijing in December 2013. UCAVs make it possible for China's air force "to use relatively cheap, capable, low-risk airframes as a first-in asset to either strike or soften Taiwan's air defense systems," Rice added.

☆ A Swedish-made fighter jet could tip the scales against Russia in Ukraine, but it might not get there any time soon
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Sebastien Roblin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

Ukraine's air force remains in the fight almost a year after Russia's shambolic invasion. Sooner or later, Ukraine must induct new jet fighters into service — and they sure aren't buying them from Russia. JAS-39 Gripen: background and capabilitiesA Swedish JAS 39 Gripen at Bobo, Norway in October 2018. A Hungarian Air Force JAS-39 Gripen in August 2010. JAS-39 Gripen vs. F-16A US Air Force F-16 takes off from Aviano Air Base in Italy in June 2020.

☆ Taiwan president thanks military in new year's message
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TAIPEI, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen thanked the armed forces for defending the island in her Lunar New Year message on Friday, saying the government had safeguarded peace in the face of China's military drills and pressure. In a short, recorded video message before Lunar New Year's Day on Sunday, the most important holiday in the Chinese-speaking world, Tsai said this year like last would be "full of challenges". "In the face of the Chinese Communists' military ships and aircraft frequently harassing Taiwan, or even carrying out exercises around the Taiwan Strait, the government firmly safeguards peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and region," she said. I want to thank the labours of our brothers and sisters in the military," Tsai continued. China's air force has regularly crossed the Taiwan Strait's median line, which had served as an unofficial barrier between the two, since the August drills, and has carried out other exercises near Taiwan.

☆ U.S. to boost Taiwan's stretched air force with $428 mln in spare parts
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Taiwan's air force is well-equipped but ageing, and is dwarfed by that of China's. The Pentagon, in two statements late Tuesday, said the parts would support Taiwan's F-16s, Indigenous Defence Fighter jets and all other aircraft and systems or subsystems of U.S. origin. Taiwan's Defence Ministry said on Wednesday the sale was expected to "take effect" within one month, and offered its thanks. Taiwan's presidential office, noting this was the seventh arms sale approved by the Biden administration, said the latest approval would enhance Taiwan's combat power. China has repeatedly demanded the United States stop selling weapons to Taiwan and has put sanctions on U.S. arms manufacturers.

☆ China's new J-20 is nothing 'to lose a lot of sleep over,' but the US's stealth advantage isn't safe, US commanders say
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Christopher Woody | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

China's air force has rapidly grown in size and capability, adding advanced jets like the J-20. The J-20 isn't "anything to lose a lot of sleep over," the head of US Pacific Air Forces said this week. But US Air Force leaders do say the US needs to work to stay head of the progress China is making. "We can take a look at it today and say we're not going to lose a lot of sleep. I'll lose sleep if we don't continue to modernize our Air Force to ensure that we stay ahead of where they are."

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