Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/08/31
By: Lu Hsin-hui and Y.F. Low

Taipei, Aug. 31 (CNA) As China continues its military buildup, it has demonstrated that it has the ability to seize air supremacy over areas west of the “first island chain” and is gradually gaining the ability to take control of the Taiwan Strait, according to report Thursday by Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND).

The Chinese military’s joint intelligence, monitoring and reconnaissance capability currently covers areas west of the “second island chain” in the Western Pacific, which is enough to support all sorts of military actions within the region, the MND said in a five-year military development plan submitted to the Legislature.

The report said Chinese bombers and fighter jets have been crossing the “first island chain” into the Western Pacific regularly, which constitutes a direct challenge to the U.S. military presence in the Asia-Pacific region and demonstrates China’s ability to achieve air supremacy in areas west of the island chain.    [FULL  STORY]