Ten Chinese planes crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, which is usually an unofficial border between the two sides, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said on Saturday. This comes as Beijing keeps up its military activities near the island.
In the 24 hours leading up to 6 a.m. on Saturday, nine Chinese fighter jets and one military drone crossed the median line, the ministry said in its daily report on Chinese military activities.
The ministry said, in standard language, that Taiwan sent planes to warn the Chinese planes to stay away while missile systems kept an eye on them.
Even though Taiwan doesn’t want to be part of China, China claims Taiwan as its own territory. In recent years, Taiwan has complained that the Chinese air force flies almost every day near the democratically ruled island, often in the southwestern part of its air defense identification zone.
Beijing has warned of unspecified retaliation if Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, who is currently traveling in the Americas, meets Kevin McCarthy, who is the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. On her way back to Taipei from Central America this month, she is supposed to meet him in Los Angeles.
China held war games near Taiwan in August after Nancy Pelosi, who was Speaker at the time, went to Taipei. China has continued military activities near Taiwan, but on a smaller scale.
