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Stephen Hadley: Challenge US faces from China is like no other
Former National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley on the need for the U.S. to tackle the China threat and strengthen allies in the region
Taiwan scrambled jets Wednesday morning in response to over two dozen warplanes and three ships entering their defense zone from China.
The Ministry of Defense announced that 25 warplanes and three ships approached Taiwan in the early hours of the morning.
According to the ministry, 19 of the planes fully entered the island’s air defense identification zone.
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A People’s Liberation Army member looks through binoculars during military exercises as Taiwan’s frigate Lan Yang is seen at the rear. (Lin Jian/Xinhua via AP)
Taiwan reacted aggressively by scrambling fighters and activating missile defense systems in preparation of an attack. Warships were also dispatched.
However, the Chinese invaders left the area well before engagement and returned to the mainland.
These sorts of intentional false flag operations have become a recurring nuisance to Taiwan as the Chinese Communist Party continues its careful and strategic campaign to bring the island to heel.
Taiwan, also known as the Republic of China, is an island off the coast of the Asian mainland. Taiwan has long declared itself independent of the People’s Republic of China and has claimed continuation of governance from the pre-revolutionary Chinese state.
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Chinese military helicopters fly past Pingtan island, one of mainland China’s closest point from Taiwan, in Fujian province. (Getty Images)
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The People’s Republic of China — ruled by the Chinese Communist Party — has long claimed sovereignty over Taiwan and the Taiwan Strait, the relatively narrow strip of ocean between the island of Taiwan and the Chinese mainland.
The United States doesn’t have official relations with Taiwan, but has been stepping up engagement with the island as China seeks to isolate it from global institutions.
Soldiers stand guard after a preparedness enhancement drill simulating the defense against Beijing’s military intrusions, ahead of the Lunar New Year in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Daniel Ceng)
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The U.S. is preparing to send 100 to 200 troops to Taiwan for training amid the rising tensions, a U.S. official familiar with the planning confirmed to Fox News last week.
This number will expand a much smaller training program, which has included the National Guard, Special Ops, and U.S. Marines in the past.
The Michigan National Guard will also train a contingent of the Taiwanese Army, including some training as part of larger exercises, on U.S. soil.
Timothy Nerozzi is a writer for Fox News Digital. You can follow him on Twitter @timothynerozzi and can email him at [email protected]