Ten Chinese air force aircraft entered Taiwan’s air defense zone yesterday, accompanying five Chinese warships engaged in “combat readiness” patrols, the Ministry of National Defense said, the second such incursion this week.
Starting at about 9am, 25 Chinese aircraft were detected engaging in operations at sea, including J-10 and J-16 fighters, as well as H-6 bombers, the ministry said.
Of those aircraft, 10 had either crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait or entered the southwestern part of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, it said.
Photo: CNA
Those aircraft were acting in coordination with five Chinese warships engaging in “combat readiness” patrols, it said.
Taiwan’s military dispatched ships and aircraft to keep watch, the ministry said.
The zone is a broad area that Taiwan monitors and patrols to give its forces more time to respond to threats. Chinese aircraft have not entered territorial Taiwanese air space.
On Sunday, Taiwan reported a similar level of activity by Chinese warplanes and warships.
China staged war games around Taiwan in April after President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) returned home from a visit to the US, where she met US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Vice President William Lai (賴清德) is to depart for the US this week on his way to Paraguay on what is officially only a transit.
It was China’s “priority” to stop Lai from visiting the US, Beijing’s ambassador to the US said last month.
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