China deploys J-20 stealth fighter to deter Taiwan
China deployed the J-20 fighter jet shortly after releasing a defense white paper outlining its determination to fight against Taiwan secession.
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| J-20 fighter opens its internal weapons bay at the exhibition at the end of 2018. Photo:SCMP. |
The Chinese Air Force's social media account posted a photo of a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet, the J-20, with the serial number 62001, taking off last week. Chinese media reported that the plane had entered the Eastern Theater Command, the operational command responsible for eastern China, including Taiwan.
Collin Koh, a research fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, said the deployment could have served two purposes: to send a deterrent message to Taiwan, and to “challenge US military activity in the Taiwan Strait,” Koh said.
The photo was released as China released a defense white paper highlighting the risks posed by what Beijing calls “separatist forces,” a reference to Taiwan. A day after China released the defense white paper, a U.S. warship sailed through the Taiwan Strait.
US Pacific Air Forces Commander Charles Brown said in May that Beijing's completion of the J-20 fighter's combat readiness would give the Chinese military "greater combat capability" and create a "greater threat" in the region.
In response to the development of China's air force, the US is accelerating the deployment of next-generation F-35 fighter jets and continuing patrol flights in a number of strategic areas, including the East Sea.
China currently possesses more than 2,500 aircraft, including 1,700 fighters, strategic bombers and multi-role attack aircraft. The J-20 fighter jet is expected to enter mass production this year.
