Taiwan scrambles fighters for fourth time in five days amid Chinese incursion

Taiwan's Air Forcescrambled fighters for the fourth time in five days as two Chinese Y-8 anti-submarine planes intruded into the country's southwest air defence identification zone (ADIZ).

The Chinese fighters had intruded the same defence zone thrice last week as Taiwan's defence ministry said it has "the right to self-defence and to counter-attack".

"Our primary principle is not to provoke, not to heighten conflicts, trigger incidents or cause misfire," defence minister Yen De-fa said, adding, "but we are not afraid of a war and we must maintain our necessary right to self-defence and counter-attack."

However, China's foreign ministry said, "The so-called mid-line of the Strait does not exist", while adding, "Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory."

China had earlier held military drills near Taiwan as President Tsai Ing-wen said that China was a threat to the region. The tensions between the two countries increased after the United States sent an official to Taiwan angering Beijing.

China considers Taiwan to be a reneged province had has increased diplomatic, economic and military pressure on Taiwan in recent years especially after President Tsai Ing-wen came to power in 2016 who has rejected the "one China" policy.