Taiwan detects 45 Chinese aircraft near island, highest count this year
Taiwan said Thursday it detected 45 Chinese aircraft near the self-ruled island, the highest number this year.
In the 24 hours to 6:00 am (2200 GMT on Wednesday), 45 Chinese aircraft and 14 warships were spotted near Taiwan, Taipei's defence ministry said in a statement, News.Az reports, citing AFP.
It was the highest number of Chinese aircraft detected this year and the most since December 11, an AFP tally of the ministry's daily figures shows.
Beijing has increased the deployment of fighter jets and naval vessels around Taiwan in recent years.
Taiwan said Wednesday that China staged a combat drill with aircraft and warships and announced live-fire exercises in an area about 40 nautical miles (74 kilometres) off the island's south, which Taipei condemned as dangerous and a violation of "international norms".
Taiwan's military responded by sending forces to "monitor, alert and respond appropriately", the ministry said.
Beijing's foreign ministry declined to comment on Wednesday.
Taiwan's Presidential Office on Thursday issued a "severe condemnation" of China's actions, which it called a "blatant provocation".
Its foreign ministry urged the international community "to continue to pay attention to the security of the Taiwan Strait and the region".
On Tuesday, Taiwan seized a Chinese-crewed cargo ship suspected of severing a subsea telecoms cable serving Taiwan's Penghu island group.
There is growing concern in Taiwan over the security of its cables after a Chinese-owned cargo ship was suspected of cutting one northeast of the island this year.
Similar news
