Global Times
Date: 2020/6/26
By: Liu Xuanzun

For the eighth time in June, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) reportedly sent military aircraft to Taiwan's southwestern "airspace" on Friday. Chinese mainland military experts said the regular exercises are beginning to show strategic significance, as they are not only aimed at intercepting US military aircraft flying through the area or sending messages to Taiwan secessionists, but also serve as practical trainings, with the aim of gathering military information from Taiwan, and suppressing potential US and Japanese reinforcements coming from the Miyako Strait and Bashi Channel.

The PLA military aircraft were spotted entering Taiwan island's southwestern "airspace" on Friday, Taiwan media reported on the same day, citing a statement by a spokesperson of the island's defense authority. It did not specify the type of PLA aircraft.

Taiwan's media outlets also noted that shortly before the PLA's excursion, the US military sent an EP-3E signals reconnaissance aircraft to the same area, which made its way through the Bashi Channel, before heading toward the South China Sea "in search of PLA submarines."

Song Zhongping, a Chinese mainland military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Friday that the PLA aircraft likely took its specific route to track and intercept the US warplane.    [FULL  STORY]