China sent a large group of warplanes, including fighter jets and bombers, toward Taiwan over the last few days, the island’s defense ministry said.
Taiwan’s defense ministry reported that between 6 a.m. Tuesday and 6 a.m. Wednesday, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) sent 30 warplanes and 9 navy vessels around Taiwan.
Over those 72 hours, 62 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft either crossed the strait’s median line – an informal demarcation point that Beijing does not recognize but until recently largely respected – or entered the southeastern or southwestern parts of the island’s ADIZ.
Among the Chinese planes were Su-30, J-11 and J-16 fighter jets, H-6 bombers, Y-8 antisubmarine warfare (ASW) aircraft and Z-9 anti-sub helicopters that had entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ).
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry it tasked combat air patrol warplanes, naval vessels and land-based missile defense to monitor the PLA aircraft, along with nine Chinese warships that were present around the island.