(Taipei) Taiwan announced Wednesday that it had detected 35 Chinese military planes around the island in a few hours, some heading to the western Pacific to join the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong as part of “joint maritime and air training” .
The Taipei Defense Ministry said the devices, including fighters and drones, had been detected since 6 a.m. Wednesday.
About 28 planes crossed the midline of the Taiwan Strait, and some fighter jets “crossed the Bashi Channel to the Western Pacific to conduct joint maritime and air training with the Shandong aircraft carrier,” the ministry said in a statement.
“The armed forces monitored the situation and tasked air patrol aircraft, navy ships and land-based missile systems [d’y] respond,” the press release continued.
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry has noted an increase in Chinese maritime and air incursions around the island in recent days.
The ministry said Tuesday it had detected 22 fighter jets and 20 military ships around Taiwan between Monday and Tuesday morning.
The Shandong aircraft carrier was detected Monday about 60 nautical miles (111 kilometers) southeast of the island’s southernmost point.
Taiwan lives under the constant threat of invasion by Beijing, which considers the autonomous island as part of its territory to be reconquered by force if necessary.