Taipei city: The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) sent 21 aircrafts and five warships to Taiwan on Wednesday, the Taiwanese defense ministry said on Wednesday.
“5 PLAN [People’s Liberation Army Navy] vessels and 21 PLA aircraft around our surrounding region were detected today,” the ministry said on Twitter.
Five PLA aircraft, including two Su-30 fighters, two J-11 fighters, and one Y-8 electronic intelligence aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, the ministry added.
Taiwan sent an air patrol to monitor the situation, issued radio warnings, and deployed anti-aircraft missile systems, the ministry said.
The visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan in early August triggered a new round of tensions in the Taiwan Strait and in the region. On August 4, Beijing launched large-scale military exercises in the vicinity of the island, which included live-fire drills and military aircraft overflights close to Taiwan’s airspace.
