TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense tracked 76 Chinese military aircraft, 15 naval vessels, and four official ships around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Tuesday and 6 a.m. on Wednesday.
Thirty-seven of the 76 People’s Liberation Army aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the country’s northern, central, southwestern, and eastern air defense identification zone, according to the MND.
In response, Taiwan sent aircraft and naval ships and deployed coastal-based missile systems to monitor PLA activity.
On Tuesday, China launched joint army, navy, and rocket force exercises around Taiwan, in what it said was “a stern warning and powerful deterrent against Taiwanese independence,” Reuters reported.
The Presidential Office responded to the drills by saying, “China’s blatant military provocations not only threaten peace in the Taiwan Strait but also undermine security in the entire region.” It added, “We strongly condemn China’s escalatory behavior."
