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Chinese J-20 stealth fighter jet pilots claim to have flown over Taiwan’s airspace undetected. Photo/CCTV
BEIJING – A Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) pilot made a surprising claim, namely flying with J-20 stealth fighter jet over Taiwan airspace undetected.
The Chinese PLAAF recently stepped up its incursions into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). On January 15, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) stated that the PLAAF had sent its warplanes at least seven times last week.
While all Chinese PLAAF fighter jets flying close to Taiwan are regularly monitored by the island’s Air Force, there are likely instances when the service has been unable to intercept Beijing’s fifth-generation stealth fighter jets flying close to its airspace.
Captain Yang Juncheng of China’s PLAAF “Wang Hai” brigade told ChineseCentral Television (CCTV) that he was flying over Taiwan, watching over the entire island from his cockpit. The pilot notified the channel that he was flying over the Bashi Channel, Miyako Strait and Tsushima Strait in the East China Sea.
“When I flew a fighter plane (on) Treasure Island in Indonesia, I could see the entire coastline and mountains on Treasure Island. At that time, I was proud and proud,” Yang said, as reported by EurAsian Times, Friday (20/2010) 1/2023).
Also read: China’s J-20 Stealth Fighter Jet Roaming in the South China Sea, What’s Up?
However, Taiwan’s MND has yet to officially recognize the J-20’s flight anywhere near its airspace. MND regularly publishes data on China’s air and maritime attacks on its official Twitter account. This could mean that the island’s forces were unable to detect the J-20 or chose to withhold the information.
Who further told CCTV, “I said to myself at that time, I will fly in the future! There is no such thing as the Taiwan Strait. This line or that line!”
The statement refers to the median line, an imaginary buffer that runs in the Taiwan Strait between Taiwan and China. While the line has helped maintain peace for a long time, it has become increasingly irrelevant as Beijing asserts sovereignty over self-governing Taiwan and has vowed to integrate it with the Chinese mainland.
In August last year, China deployed J-20 fighters for the first time in a joint military exercise conducted by the PLA as tensions soared following a planned visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan.
