Air Force Officer Sucked Into Fighter Jet Engine in Fatal Accident: Taiwan [Video]

A Taiwanese air force officer was killed in an accident after being sucked into a fighter jet’s engine at an air base on Tuesday, Taiwan’s military said in a press releases.

Why It Matters

The fatal incident came as Taiwan, a security partner of the U.S., continues to face military pressure from the Chinese Communist Party, which views the self-ruled island as part of China despite never having governed it, and has refused to renounce using force against it.

The Chinese military deploys ships and aircraft around Taiwan for patrols and exercises, including invasion rehearsals. U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested that Taiwan did not pay America enough money for “protection” and that it had “stolen” the U.S. chip business.

Taiwan is the world’s leader in semiconductor manufacturing, a sector critical to both consumer electronics and defense technology.