Given the frequency of PLA aircraft intruding Taiwan's air space, Taiwan is considering building a sixth highway strip, which would be the only one on the East Coast.
Taiwan's five highway strips were inspected during the recent Han Kuang military exercise. As all five are on freeways, the Ministry of National Defense plans to construct a Hualien/Taitung highway strip to protect western airports from PRC missile attacks. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications supports the plan.
Wang Kwo-tsai, Transportation and Communications Minister："There should be five (highway strips) on national and provincial freeways. If it's in eastern Taiwan, we would support it."
Chen Kuo-hua, Air Force Spokesperson："We take into consideration how to use existing highway strips when we are attacked by enemy forces to make our takeoffs and landings more effective. "
The Hualien/Taitung highway strip will be built along Provincial Highway 9 between Guanshan and Chishang. There are rice fields on both sides. Analysts say western Taiwan is constantly under threat from PRC missiles and a highway strip in eastern Taiwan provides an alternate option during combat. In addition, the central mountain range provides cover and makes the degree of strategic difficulty higher for the PRC military.
Su Tzu-yun, Senior Analyst, Institute for National Defense and Security Research："From a geological standpoint, it's between the central mountain range and the coastal mountain range. The central mountain range can therefore alter some missile trajectories. The coastal mountain range can provide cover against cruise missile attacks. So, these raise the survival rate of highway strips in Hualien and Taitung."
Air Force Broadcast："You have entered our air space and are affecting our aviation safety. Turn around and leave immediately."
Between Oct. 1 and 3, 93 PRC military aircraft entered Taiwan's air space. US State Department spokesperson Ned Price tweeted on the 3rd, "The U.S. urges Beijing to cease its destabilizing behavior across the Taiwan Strait." Price also wrote on the State Department's website, "We will continue to assist Taiwan in maintaining a sufficient self-defense capability, and we will maintain our commitments as outlined in the Three Communiques, the Taiwan Relations Act, and the Six Assurances." In response, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs effusively thanked the Biden administration for its public condemnation of China.
國軍漢光37號演習，戰機在屏東的佳冬戰備道順利起降演練，也完成全台5條戰備道的驗證，不過目前戰備道，除了佳冬是省道，花壇、民雄、麻豆、仁德則是高速公路，為了避免西部機場遭中共導彈攻擊而無法起降，國防部打算興建"花東戰備道"，也已經與交通部協調，獲得支持。
交通部長 王國材表示：「就是說，現在是在高速公路跟省道上，應該有五條(戰備道)，如果在東部，我們會支持。」
空軍發言人 陳國華表示：「受到敵人的攻擊，我們如何用現有的戰備道，來讓我們的起降更有效能。我想，我們都已經列入，我們整個的戰備的考量當中。」
花東戰備道，預計興建地點為台九線省道關山、池上段，一路上都是筆直公路，兩旁則為稻田，但目前還在評估規劃中。專家分析，台灣西半部受到中國導彈威脅，東部增設戰備道，戰時多一個選擇，也可利用中央山脈當掩護，增加共軍命中的難度。
國防院戰略所所長 蘇紫雲表示：「從地形地貌來講，它是介於中央山脈跟海岸山脈中間，所以中央山脈，可以阻擋部分彈道飛彈來襲的彈道。海岸山脈，可以阻擋從海面過來的巡弋飛彈的攻擊，所以又給花東戰備道更高的存活率。」
空軍廣播：「你已進入我空域，影響我飛航安全，立即迴轉脫離。」
近來共機擾台架次不斷創紀錄，10月1號到3號，三天總計就有93架次，4號清晨更是持續，對此美國國務院發言人普萊斯，主動發出聲明，重話批評北京破壞區域和平穩定。他強調，美方會持續協助台灣維持足夠自我防衛能力，履行對台承諾。外交部也感謝拜登政府公開譴責中國挑釁行徑。