Social Media Abuzz about Chinese Sukhoi Fighter Aircraft Being Shot Down by Taiwan

Social media in Taiwan on Friday was abuzz with the news of a Chinese Su-35 aircraft being shot down in Guangxi, an autonomous coastal region in southern China, bordering Vietnam. According to several reports, the plane crashed after intruding into the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.

Several videos, from unknown locations, went viral, showing a jet engulfed in thick smoke.

According to news agency ANI, Beijing later refuted the claims and said it was “completely untrue”. The Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of China issued a statement condemning the circulation of “false information” on the internet.

“The Air Force Command emphasised that in order to maintain airspace security, the headquarters will continue to closely monitor the conditions of the sea and airspace around the Taiwan Strait, and provide correct information in a timely manner to prevent spread of fake and false news, and to avoid social unrest, and appeals to people to rest assured,” said a statement from the ministry.

The defence ministry of Taiwan also denied these reports, saying, “No Chinese Su-35 fighter jet has been shot down by Taiwan.”