Taiwan on Tuesday said that Chinese jets had&nbsp;made a record 380 incursions into its&nbsp;defence zone last year, warning&nbsp;tensions were now at their highest since the mid-1990s.

Taiwan has spent almost $900 million last&nbsp;year on scrambling its air force against Chinese incursions, the island’s defence minister said on earlier, describing the pressure they are facing as “great”.

In the past few weeks, Chinese fighter jets have crossed the midline of the Taiwan Strait, which normally serves as an unofficial buffer zone, and flown multiple missions into Taiwan’s southwestern air defence identification zone.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-is-trying-to-wear-out-taiwans-air-force-by-incursions-says-defence-minister-334046">China is trying to wear out Taiwan's Air Force by incursions, says defence minister</a>

Speaking at parliament, Taiwan Defence Minister Yen De-fa said to the air force had scrambled 2,972 times against Chinese aircraft in 2020&nbsp;at a cost of T$25.5 billion ($886.49 million).

Democratic and self-ruled Taiwan lives under the constant threat of invasion by authoritarian China, which views the island as its own territory and has vowed to seize it one day, by force if necessary.

Beijing's animosity has increased dramatically since Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen won election in 2016, as she rejects the idea that the island is part of "one China".

But the sabre-rattling reached new peaks last year as Beijing sent jets, bombers and surveillance planes into Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ) at an unprecedented rate.&nbsp;

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-administration-announces-another-arms-sale-to-taiwan-china-threatens-countermeasures-348352">Trump administration announces another arms sale to Taiwan; China threatens 'countermeasures'</a>

Defence ministry spokesman Shih Shun-wen said, "The 380 incursions into our southwest ADIZ in 2020 are a lot more frequent than the past."

Chinese aircraft targeted the area "to test our military's response, to exert pressure on our aerial defence and to squeeze the aerial space for our activities", he added.

The figures came as the military-affiliated Institute for National Defence and Security Research warned in an annual report on the People's Liberation Army that "the Chinese military threat was the highest since the 1996 missile crisis in Taiwan Strait".&nbsp;

That year Beijing fired missiles into the strait in a bid to deter voters in the island's first democratic presidential election, prompting Washington to send warships to the area.&nbsp;

Jeremy Hung, a co-author of the report, said Chinese jets flew closer to Taiwan and frequently into its defence zone on at least 110 days last year.

This compared with just six long-distance training missions around Taiwan in 2016, and 20 in 2017.

Beijing's increased military actions were meant as "a warning to Taiwan not to cross the red line" amid warming relations with the United States, Hung said.

Chinese jets also crossed over the so-called "median line" of the Taiwan Strait during two high-level visits by US officials.

The median line is unofficial but, until now, largely adhered to border running down the narrow strait separating Taiwan from the mainland.&nbsp;

Last year a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman declared the line did not exist.

Beijing has also been angered by the increasingly warm ties Taiwan built with Washington during outgoing President Donald Trump's tenure.&nbsp;

On top of the high-level visits, his administration approved some $18 billion worth of arms sales to Taipei, while US warships sailed through the Taiwan Strait 13 times last year, according to local media.

Taiwan on Tuesday said that Chinese jets had made a record 380 incursions into its defence zone last year, warning tensions were now at their highest since the mid-1990s.

Taiwan on Tuesday said that Chinese jets had made a record 380 incursions into its defence zone last year, warning tensions were now at their highest since the mid-1990s. Taiwan has spent almost $900 million last year on scrambling its air force against Chinese incursions, the island’s defence minister said on earlier, describing the pressure they are facing as “great”. In the past few weeks, Chinese fighter jets have crossed the midline of the Taiwan Strait, which normally serves as an unofficial buffer zone, and flown multiple missions into Taiwan’s southwestern air defence identification zone. Also read: China is trying to wear out Taiwan's Air Force by incursions, says defence minister Speaking at parliament, Taiwan Defence Minister Yen De-fa said to the air force had scrambled 2,972 times against Chinese aircraft in 2020 at a cost of T$25.5 billion ($886.49 million). Democratic and self-ruled Taiwan lives under the constant threat of invasion by authoritarian China, which views the island as its own territory and has vowed to seize it one day, by force if necessary. Beijing's animosity has increased dramatically since Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen won election in 2016, as she rejects the idea that the island is part of "one China". But the sabre-rattling reached new peaks last year as Beijing sent jets, bombers and surveillance planes into Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ) at an unprecedented rate. Also read| Trump administration announces another arms sale to Taiwan; China threatens 'countermeasures' Defence ministry spokesman Shih Shun-wen said, "The 380 incursions into our southwest ADIZ in 2020 are a lot more frequent than the past." Chinese aircraft targeted the area "to test our military's response, to exert pressure on our aerial defence and to squeeze the aerial space for our activities", he added. The figures came as the military-affiliated Institute for National Defence and Security Research warned in an annual report on the People's Liberation Army that "the Chinese military threat was the highest since the 1996 missile crisis in Taiwan Strait". That year Beijing fired missiles into the strait in a bid to deter voters in the island's first democratic presidential election, prompting Washington to send warships to the area. Jeremy Hung, a co-author of the report, said Chinese jets flew closer to Taiwan and frequently into its defence zone on at least 110 days last year. This compared with just six long-distance training missions around Taiwan in 2016, and 20 in 2017. Beijing's increased military actions were meant as "a warning to Taiwan not to cross the red line" amid warming relations with the United States, Hung said. Chinese jets also crossed over the so-called "median line" of the Taiwan Strait during two high-level visits by US officials. The median line is unofficial but, until now, largely adhered to border running down the narrow strait separating Taiwan from the mainland. Last year a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman declared the line did not exist. Beijing has also been angered by the increasingly warm ties Taiwan built with Washington during outgoing President Donald Trump's tenure. On top of the high-level visits, his administration approved some $18 billion worth of arms sales to Taipei, while US warships sailed through the Taiwan Strait 13 times last year, according to local media.

'Tensions are now at their highest': Chinese jets made record 380 incursions in Taiwan

Taiwan's President Tsai-ing Wen launched&nbsp;the first of a new fleet of coastguard ships on Friday, an advanced catamaran that can be armed with missiles during war, as the island bolsters its defences&nbsp;as tensions rise with China.

''The ships are superior in speed and function compared to previous ships of the same tonnage, demonstrating the technical strength of Taiwan's shipbuilding industry,''&nbsp;President Tsai Ing-wen said at the launch ceremony in the southern city of Kaohsiung.

Tsai has made boosting Taiwan's indigenous defense capacity a central pillar of her defense policy. She relaunched the military aviation industry with the production of new trainer jets and has pushed for the development of more sophisticated systems by utilising the island's high-tech industries.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-is-trying-to-wear-out-taiwans-air-force-by-incursions-says-defence-minister-334046">China is trying to wear out Taiwan's Air Force by incursions, says defence minister</a>

President Tsai Ing-wen has made military modernisation a priority for the Chinese-claimed island. Beijing has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control.

The new Anping (CG-601) vessel is the first of 12 locally designed and built 600-ton class catamaran patrol vessels that can also be used in a military capacity.

The Anping is a similar vessel to the Tuo Chiang-class of corvettes, on which it is based, and has space for launchers for Hsiung Feng anti-ship and sea-to-land missiles but has added equipment for rescue operations.

The Tuo Chiang vessels are state-of-the-art, highly manoeuvrable stealth vessels, meant to take out larger warships while operating close to Taiwan’s shores.

The first is already in service and has been referred to by Taiwan’s navy as the “aircraft carrier killer” due to its missile complement. China has two carriers in operation and is building at least one more.

With Taiwan’s armed forces dwarfed by China’s, Tsai has championed the concept of “asymmetric warfare”, including adding weapons that are mobile and harder to attack, to make any Chinese offensive costly and difficult.

While the United States remains Taiwan’s most important arms supplier, Tsai has also boosted the island’s indigenous defence industry, most notably the planned building of eight submarines.

Taiwan’s coastguard is often involved in confrontations with Chinese fishing and sand-dredging ships which Taiwan says operate illegally in its waters.

Taiwan's President Tsai-ing Wen launched the first of a new fleet of coastguard ships on Friday, an advanced catamaran that can be armed with missiles during war, as the island bolsters its defences as tensions rise with China.

Taiwan's President Tsai-ing Wen launched the first of a new fleet of coastguard ships on Friday, an advanced catamaran that can be armed with missiles during war, as the island bolsters its defences as tensions rise with China. ''The ships are superior in speed and function compared to previous ships of the same tonnage, demonstrating the technical strength of Taiwan's shipbuilding industry,'' President Tsai Ing-wen said at the launch ceremony in the southern city of Kaohsiung. Tsai has made boosting Taiwan's indigenous defense capacity a central pillar of her defense policy. She relaunched the military aviation industry with the production of new trainer jets and has pushed for the development of more sophisticated systems by utilising the island's high-tech industries. Also read: China is trying to wear out Taiwan's Air Force by incursions, says defence minister President Tsai Ing-wen has made military modernisation a priority for the Chinese-claimed island. Beijing has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. The new Anping (CG-601) vessel is the first of 12 locally designed and built 600-ton class catamaran patrol vessels that can also be used in a military capacity. The Anping is a similar vessel to the Tuo Chiang-class of corvettes, on which it is based, and has space for launchers for Hsiung Feng anti-ship and sea-to-land missiles but has added equipment for rescue operations. The Tuo Chiang vessels are state-of-the-art, highly manoeuvrable stealth vessels, meant to take out larger warships while operating close to Taiwan’s shores. The first is already in service and has been referred to by Taiwan’s navy as the “aircraft carrier killer” due to its missile complement. China has two carriers in operation and is building at least one more. With Taiwan’s armed forces dwarfed by China’s, Tsai has championed the concept of “asymmetric warfare”, including adding weapons that are mobile and harder to attack, to make any Chinese offensive costly and difficult. While the United States remains Taiwan’s most important arms supplier, Tsai has also boosted the island’s indigenous defence industry, most notably the planned building of eight submarines. Taiwan’s coastguard is often involved in confrontations with Chinese fishing and sand-dredging ships which Taiwan says operate illegally in its waters.

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