Taiwan: Over the past 24 hours, China sent 71 Aircraft and 7 Ships to the Island

The Chinese army has sent 71 aircraft and seven ships to Taiwan in the last 24 hours, the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense announced, quoted by the agencies, writes BTA.

Between 06:00 a.m. yesterday and 06:00 a.m. today, 47 of the Chinese planes crossed the so-called median line, the unofficial boundary in the Taiwan Strait accepted by both sides, and entered the Taiwanese air defense reconnaissance zone.

Among the aircraft sent were 18 Shenyang-16 fighters, 11 Shenyang-1 fighters, six Su-30s, as well as drones.

Taipei specified that during the overflights, the Chinese planes were monitored by the anti-aircraft missile systems of the Taiwanese air defense. Taiwanese fighter jets were also raised to warn them to withdraw.

Taiwan's Central News Agency noted that it was the largest-ever entry of Chinese air force aircraft into Taiwan's air defense reconnaissance zone, but added that the incident had not caused concern on the island as Taiwan was accustomed to increasing Chinese pressure in the past years.

This comes amid ongoing Chinese military activity around the island, which China considers its territory.

Beijing said yesterday it had conducted military exercises in the waters and airspace around Taiwan in response to what the Chinese military said was a provocation by the democratically self-ruled island and the United States.

"This is a decisive response to the current escalation of collusion and provocation by the US and Taiwan," they said.

The reason for Beijing's irritation was, in particular, the recently adopted US defense budget for the new year, in the text of which China is defined as a strategic challenge. It also envisages strengthening security cooperation with Taiwan, but also expanding that with India in areas such as defense technology.

Taiwan, which strongly opposes China's claims to sovereignty over the island, said the exercises showed Beijing was undermining regional peace and trying to intimidate the Taiwanese people.

In recent years, China has stepped up pressure on Taiwan to accept Beijing's rule. Taiwan's government says it wants peace, but adds it will defend itself if attacked.

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