A military expert and political researcher for “Sky News Arabia” analyzes this Taiwanese decision, and whether it means that Taiwan is preparing to enter into a military confrontation with China soon, or is it a “less than normal measure “.
On Thursday, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said it had detected 37 Chinese fighters, including bombers capable of carrying nuclear warheads, that had penetrated their airspace and posed a direct threat, in an escalation in the number of continuous daily flights of the Chinese army. since the beginning of the year.
The ministry wrote on Twitter that the Taiwanese military had deployed patrol aircraft, warships and land-based missile systems.
The risk is “expensive”
Military expert Jamal Al-Rifai explains that announcing the activation of air defenses in an area means that any target that crosses the area by air will be subject to that country’s rules of engagement.
Regarding his assessment of Taiwan’s decision in this regard, he said:
• China considers the island as its property; Therefore, it treats the area according to its own rules of navigation and carries out daily reconnaissance and observation operations near Taiwan; What has irritated them is the increase in the number of planes.
• Taiwan has made no interceptions of Chinese planes or ships in past periods, and has been content to issue statements denouncing the violation of its borders that it has drawn unilaterally, and to operate radars but separating them from air defense systems.
• Announcing the operation of air defenses means linking the radars that monitor the sky to vehicles and missile bases, and as soon as the radars capture hostile targets, they send immediate signals to the air defense systems.
• There are electronic systems that capture, track and target the target without human intervention, which are placed around important institutions and facilities. There are systems that require human intervention, and Taiwan’s systems, of course, need human intervention. Because a mistake could cost them dearly.
• The massive activation of its air systems by Taiwan can only be a threat; Because he is not militarily ready to enter into a confrontation now that results from the Chinese plane strike.
• The situation is expected to remain as it is during this period, and Taiwan will not risk hitting Chinese targets.
“sub-par” action
In turn, international relations expert Jasser Matar underestimates the importance of Taiwan declaring the operation of its air defenses, and attributes it to:
• Taiwan lacks the ability to act now that would drag it into a war with China.
• Washington is the only one in control of the war decision on the island, and it is also not ready now because of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
• Air defense activation is below normal, so China has not issued a statement to respond.
• China will continue its exits on a regular basis and may intensify its method of responding to recent US transgressions.
China regards Taiwan, which is administered under the autonomy system, as part of its territory, and regards any relationship that a foreign country establishes with Taiwan away from China as hostility directed against Beijing, and in particular accuses Washington of supporting the “separatist” Taiwanese.
Beijing is stepping up its military moves to the island, whether with maneuvers or sorties and naval and air patrols, whenever Washington takes a step towards Taiwan, such as an arms offer, trade cooperation or diplomatic visits. .
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