Taiwan’s defence ministry said on Saturday morning that over the past 24 hours it had detected 20 Chinese air force planes entering the island’s air defence zone, including a combat drone the flew along Taiwan’s Pacific east coast.
Democratically governed Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has complained for three years of increased military pressure from Beijing.
Last Saturday, China held a day of drills around Taiwan in an angry response to brief stop-overs this month in the United States by Vice President William Lai.
Offering further details on Friday’s Chinese activity, Taiwan’s defence ministry said the aircraft involved included Su-30 and J-10 fighters and anti-submarine aircraft.
Some of the fighters and drones crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, previously an unofficial barrier between the two sides but which over the past year Chinese aircraft have routinely crossed, according to a map Taiwan’s ministry provided.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse