China claims self-governing Taiwan as its own territory and has sent regular flights to the island in reaction to Taiwanese political activity. In the past year it has also sent military ships and drones to circle the waters around the island.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army dispatched 33 planes and 6 ships between 6 a.m. Wednesday and 6 a.m. Thursday, according to the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense. The J-10 and J-16 fighters crossed the dividing line between the two territories and southwest of Taiwan.
The ministry said it had used ground-based missile systems to monitor the aircraft, 10 of which crossed the intermediate line of the Taiwan Strait, an unofficial boundary seen as a margin of separation between the island and the Chinese mainland.
In response to mounting Chinese military pressure, Taiwan has bought weapons and fighter jets to bolster its defenses. In July, the United States announced a $345 million package sold to Taiwan that will include man-portable anti-aircraft systems, as well as intelligence and surveillance assets, firearms and missiles.
FOUNTAIN: Associated Press
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