China greets US diplomat's visit to Taiwan with warplane incursion

Two Chinese Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft briefly entered Taiwan's air defence identification zone on Wednesday. Handout photo

Two People's Liberation Army warplanes have approached Taiwan in yet another incursion that signals growing Chinese hostility towards the self-ruled island, ahead of a trip by a senior US diplomat to boost economic cooperation with Taipei.

The PLA Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft briefly entered the southwestern side of the island's air defence identification zone (AIDZ) on Wednesday night and were warned off by the Taiwanese air force, the island's defence ministry said on Thursday.

A host of PLA warplanes has flown into the southwest of Taiwan's AIDZ since last Wednesday in what Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen described as a serious provocation that would escalate cross-strait tensions and affect regional peace and stability.

The timing of the latest incursion ― ahead of a planned visit by US Undersecretary of State Keith Krach ― was intended to serve as a warning to the US and Taiwan, observers said. Krach, who is expected to arrive in Taipei on Thursday afternoon, will be the most senior State Department official to visit Taiwan.

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He is expected to meet Tsai and pay tribute to late president Lee Teng-hui. Krach is also expected to take part in an exchange with Taiwanese officials over a planned economic dialogue that is expected to pave the way for a trade agreement with Taiwan.

Taiwan's foreign ministry said Krach, accompanied by assistant secretary Robert Destro, would also discuss "how to strengthen bilateral economic cooperation" during his three-day visit.

Beijing has already warned the US against sending Krach to the island. On Monday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin urged the US to "stop all forms of official exchanges with Taiwan" to avoid serious damage to China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

Krach's visit follows the high-profile visit in August of US Health Secretary Alex Azar, who was the highest-level US Cabinet official to visit the island since 1979. Beijing also flew fighter jets towards Taiwan before Azar's arrival.

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