Taiwanese Forces Shoot Down Drones Flying Over Island Near China

Taiwan’s forces said in a statement that troops took action on Tuesday after drones were found hovering over the Kinmen island complex. Dadan, one of the islands where a drone was spotted, is about 15 kilometers (9 miles) off the Chinese coast. The statement on Wednesday referred to the unmanned aerial vehicles as “civilian” but gave no further details. It said the drones returned to the nearby Chinese city of Xiamen after the shooting. Taiwan previously only launched flares as warnings. The incident comes amid heightened tensions after China fired missiles into the sea and sent planes and ships to the dividing line in the Taiwan Strait earlier this month. It followed angry rhetoric from Beijing over a trip to Taiwan by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the highest-ranking US official to visit the island in 25 years. China claims Taiwan as its territory and its recent actions have been seen as a rehearsal of a possible blockade or invasion. China’s drills have drawn strong condemnation from Taiwan’s main ally, the US, along with other regional democracies such as Australia and Japan. Some of China’s missiles in early August landed in nearby Japan’s exclusive economic zone. Taiwan retains control of a string of islands in the Kinmen and Matsu groups in the Taiwan Strait, a relic of Chiang Kai-shek’s nationalist effort to maintain a foothold on the mainland after being ousted by Mao Zedong’s communists amid civil war war in 1949. Taiwan’s defense ministry said China’s actions had failed to intimidate the island’s 23 million people, saying they had merely hardened support for the armed forces and the status quo of de facto independence. Officials said defenses against drones are being strengthened, part of a 12.9 percent increase in the Defense Department’s annual budget next year. The government plans to spend an additional NTD 47.5 billion ($1.6 billion), for a total of NTD 415.1 billion ($13.8 billion) for the year. The US is also reportedly preparing to approve a $1.1 billion defense package for Taiwan that will include anti-ship and air-to-air missiles to be used to repel a possible Chinese invasion attempt. After the Chinese drills, the US sent two warships through the Taiwan Strait, which China has sought to define as its sovereign waters. Foreign delegations from the US, Japan, and European nations continued to arrive to offer Taipei diplomatic and financial support. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey is currently visiting Taiwan to discuss the production of semiconductors, the critical chips used in everyday electronics that have become a battleground in the technology competition between the US and China. Ducey seeks to attract suppliers for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp.’s new plant. (TSMC) $12 billion being built in his home state. The governor is also visiting the South Korean technology powerhouse and in a statement on his official website said his aim was to take these relations to the next level – to strengthen them, expand them and ensure they remain mutually beneficial.” Last week, Indiana’s governor visited Taiwan on a similar mission. Taiwan Air Force pilots have also trained at Luke Air Force Base outside Phoenix for more than 25 years, a sign of continued US support for Taiwan’s defense despite a lack of formal diplomatic ties. Taiwan produces more than half of the world’s supply of high-tech processor chips. China’s missile launch during its drills disrupted shipping and air traffic and highlighted the possibility that chip exports could be disrupted. Reacting to Ducey’s visit, China on Wednesday reaffirmed its opposition to any official contacts between the US and Taiwan. This was a further reminder of the Communist Party’s refusal to recognize the separation of powers within the US government and the right of US local officials to operate independently of the administration. “We urge relevant parties in the US to … stop any forms of official contacts with Taiwan and avoid sending wrong messages to the Taiwan independence forces,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a daily briefing. “China will take strong measures to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Zhao said.

title: “Taiwanese Forces Shoot Down Drones Flying Over Island Near China Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-24” author: “Oliva Moore”

Taiwan’s forces said in a statement that troops took action on Tuesday after drones were found hovering over the Kinmen island complex. Dadan, one of the islands where a drone was spotted, is about 15 kilometers (9 miles) off the Chinese coast. The statement on Wednesday referred to the unmanned aerial vehicles as “civilian” but gave no further details. It said the drones returned to the nearby Chinese city of Xiamen after the shooting. Taiwan previously only launched flares as warnings. The incident comes amid heightened tensions after China fired missiles into the sea and sent planes and ships to the dividing line in the Taiwan Strait earlier this month. It followed angry rhetoric from Beijing over a trip to Taiwan by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the highest-ranking US official to visit the island in 25 years. China claims Taiwan as its territory and its recent actions have been seen as a rehearsal of a possible blockade or invasion. China’s drills have drawn strong condemnation from Taiwan’s main ally, the US, along with other regional democracies such as Australia and Japan. Some of China’s missiles in early August landed in nearby Japan’s exclusive economic zone. Taiwan retains control of a string of islands in the Kinmen and Matsu groups in the Taiwan Strait, a relic of Chiang Kai-shek’s nationalist effort to maintain a foothold on the mainland after being ousted by Mao Zedong’s communists amid civil war war in 1949. Taiwan’s defense ministry said China’s actions had failed to intimidate the island’s 23 million people, saying they had merely hardened support for the armed forces and the status quo of de facto independence. Officials said defenses against drones are being strengthened, part of a 12.9 percent increase in the Defense Department’s annual budget next year. The government plans to spend an additional NTD 47.5 billion ($1.6 billion), for a total of NTD 415.1 billion ($13.8 billion) for the year. The US is also reportedly preparing to approve a $1.1 billion defense package for Taiwan that will include anti-ship and air-to-air missiles to be used to repel a possible Chinese invasion attempt. After the Chinese drills, the US sent two warships through the Taiwan Strait, which China has sought to define as its sovereign waters. Foreign delegations from the US, Japan, and European nations continued to arrive to offer Taipei diplomatic and financial support. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey is currently visiting Taiwan to discuss the production of semiconductors, the critical chips used in everyday electronics that have become a battleground in the technology competition between the US and China. Ducey seeks to attract suppliers for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp.’s new plant. (TSMC) $12 billion being built in his home state. The governor is also visiting the South Korean technology powerhouse and in a statement on his official website said his aim was to take these relations to the next level – to strengthen them, expand them and ensure they remain mutually beneficial.” Last week, Indiana’s governor visited Taiwan on a similar mission. Taiwan Air Force pilots have also trained at Luke Air Force Base outside Phoenix for more than 25 years, a sign of continued US support for Taiwan’s defense despite a lack of formal diplomatic ties. Taiwan produces more than half of the world’s supply of high-tech processor chips. China’s missile launch during its drills disrupted shipping and air traffic and highlighted the possibility that chip exports could be disrupted. Reacting to Ducey’s visit, China on Wednesday reaffirmed its opposition to any official contacts between the US and Taiwan. This was a further reminder of the Communist Party’s refusal to recognize the separation of powers within the US government and the right of US local officials to operate independently of the administration. “We urge relevant parties in the US to … stop any forms of official contacts with Taiwan and avoid sending wrong messages to the Taiwan independence forces,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a daily briefing. “China will take strong measures to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Zhao said.

title: “Taiwanese Forces Shoot Down Drones Flying Over Island Near China Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-30” author: “Everett Kemp”

Taiwan’s forces said in a statement that troops took action on Tuesday after drones were found hovering over the Kinmen island complex. Dadan, one of the islands where a drone was spotted, is about 15 kilometers (9 miles) off the Chinese coast. The statement on Wednesday referred to the unmanned aerial vehicles as “civilian” but gave no further details. It said the drones returned to the nearby Chinese city of Xiamen after the shooting. Taiwan previously only launched flares as warnings. The incident comes amid heightened tensions after China fired missiles into the sea and sent planes and ships to the dividing line in the Taiwan Strait earlier this month. It followed angry rhetoric from Beijing over a trip to Taiwan by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the highest-ranking US official to visit the island in 25 years. China claims Taiwan as its territory and its recent actions have been seen as a rehearsal of a possible blockade or invasion. China’s drills have drawn strong condemnation from Taiwan’s main ally, the US, along with other regional democracies such as Australia and Japan. Some of China’s missiles in early August landed in nearby Japan’s exclusive economic zone. Taiwan retains control of a string of islands in the Kinmen and Matsu groups in the Taiwan Strait, a relic of Chiang Kai-shek’s nationalist effort to maintain a foothold on the mainland after being ousted by Mao Zedong’s communists amid civil war war in 1949. Taiwan’s defense ministry said China’s actions had failed to intimidate the island’s 23 million people, saying they had merely hardened support for the armed forces and the status quo of de facto independence. Officials said defenses against drones are being strengthened, part of a 12.9 percent increase in the Defense Department’s annual budget next year. The government plans to spend an additional NTD 47.5 billion ($1.6 billion), for a total of NTD 415.1 billion ($13.8 billion) for the year. The US is also reportedly preparing to approve a $1.1 billion defense package for Taiwan that will include anti-ship and air-to-air missiles to be used to repel a possible Chinese invasion attempt. After the Chinese drills, the US sent two warships through the Taiwan Strait, which China has sought to define as its sovereign waters. Foreign delegations from the US, Japan, and European nations continued to arrive to offer Taipei diplomatic and financial support. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey is currently visiting Taiwan to discuss the production of semiconductors, the critical chips used in everyday electronics that have become a battleground in the technology competition between the US and China. Ducey seeks to attract suppliers for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp.’s new plant. (TSMC) $12 billion being built in his home state. The governor is also visiting the South Korean technology powerhouse and in a statement on his official website said his aim was to take these relations to the next level – to strengthen them, expand them and ensure they remain mutually beneficial.” Last week, Indiana’s governor visited Taiwan on a similar mission. Taiwan Air Force pilots have also trained at Luke Air Force Base outside Phoenix for more than 25 years, a sign of continued US support for Taiwan’s defense despite a lack of formal diplomatic ties. Taiwan produces more than half of the world’s supply of high-tech processor chips. China’s missile launch during its drills disrupted shipping and air traffic and highlighted the possibility that chip exports could be disrupted. Reacting to Ducey’s visit, China on Wednesday reaffirmed its opposition to any official contacts between the US and Taiwan. This was a further reminder of the Communist Party’s refusal to recognize the separation of powers within the US government and the right of US local officials to operate independently of the administration. “We urge relevant parties in the US to … stop any forms of official contacts with Taiwan and avoid sending wrong messages to the Taiwan independence forces,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a daily briefing. “China will take strong measures to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Zhao said.

title: “Taiwanese Forces Shoot Down Drones Flying Over Island Near China Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-30” author: “Gary Wilson”

Taiwan’s forces said in a statement that troops took action on Tuesday after drones were found hovering over the Kinmen island complex. Dadan, one of the islands where a drone was spotted, is about 15 kilometers (9 miles) off the Chinese coast. The statement on Wednesday referred to the unmanned aerial vehicles as “civilian” but gave no further details. It said the drones returned to the nearby Chinese city of Xiamen after the shooting. Taiwan previously only launched flares as warnings. The incident comes amid heightened tensions after China fired missiles into the sea and sent planes and ships to the dividing line in the Taiwan Strait earlier this month. It followed angry rhetoric from Beijing over a trip to Taiwan by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the highest-ranking US official to visit the island in 25 years. China claims Taiwan as its territory and its recent actions have been seen as a rehearsal of a possible blockade or invasion. China’s drills have drawn strong condemnation from Taiwan’s main ally, the US, along with other regional democracies such as Australia and Japan. Some of China’s missiles in early August landed in nearby Japan’s exclusive economic zone. Taiwan retains control of a string of islands in the Kinmen and Matsu groups in the Taiwan Strait, a relic of Chiang Kai-shek’s nationalist effort to maintain a foothold on the mainland after being ousted by Mao Zedong’s communists amid civil war war in 1949. Taiwan’s defense ministry said China’s actions had failed to intimidate the island’s 23 million people, saying they had merely hardened support for the armed forces and the status quo of de facto independence. Officials said defenses against drones are being strengthened, part of a 12.9 percent increase in the Defense Department’s annual budget next year. The government plans to spend an additional NTD 47.5 billion ($1.6 billion), for a total of NTD 415.1 billion ($13.8 billion) for the year. The US is also reportedly preparing to approve a $1.1 billion defense package for Taiwan that will include anti-ship and air-to-air missiles to be used to repel a possible Chinese invasion attempt. After the Chinese drills, the US sent two warships through the Taiwan Strait, which China has sought to define as its sovereign waters. Foreign delegations from the US, Japan, and European nations continued to arrive to offer Taipei diplomatic and financial support. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey is currently visiting Taiwan to discuss the production of semiconductors, the critical chips used in everyday electronics that have become a battleground in the technology competition between the US and China. Ducey seeks to attract suppliers for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp.’s new plant. (TSMC) $12 billion being built in his home state. The governor is also visiting the South Korean technology powerhouse and in a statement on his official website said his aim was to take these relations to the next level – to strengthen them, expand them and ensure they remain mutually beneficial.” Last week, Indiana’s governor visited Taiwan on a similar mission. Taiwan Air Force pilots have also trained at Luke Air Force Base outside Phoenix for more than 25 years, a sign of continued US support for Taiwan’s defense despite a lack of formal diplomatic ties. Taiwan produces more than half of the world’s supply of high-tech processor chips. China’s missile launch during its drills disrupted shipping and air traffic and highlighted the possibility that chip exports could be disrupted. Reacting to Ducey’s visit, China on Wednesday reaffirmed its opposition to any official contacts between the US and Taiwan. This was a further reminder of the Communist Party’s refusal to recognize the separation of powers within the US government and the right of US local officials to operate independently of the administration. “We urge relevant parties in the US to … stop any forms of official contacts with Taiwan and avoid sending wrong messages to the Taiwan independence forces,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a daily briefing. “China will take strong measures to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Zhao said.