On Saturday, the Chinese military's Eastern Theatre Command, which covers Taiwan, published pictures on its WeChat account of J-16 fighters taking off on a training mission 'far out at sea' that happened 'recently'. Taiwan sent up its own aircraft and dispatched ships in response and activated land-based missile systems, the ministry said, using standard wording for how its forces react to Chinese incursions.Ĭhina's defence ministry did not answer calls seeking comment. Eight of those crossed the median line and 'got close' to the 24 nautical mile mark, it said.Īt the same time, the ministry said five Chinese warships carried out what it termed 'joint combat readiness patrols'.

(0000 GMT) on Saturday, it had detected 19 Chinese warplanes, including J-10 and J-16 fighters.

Taiwan's defence ministry said in a statement that starting around 8 a.m. Its territorial space is defined at 12 nautical miles from its coast, though the government has not reported Chinese aircraft entering either the contiguous zone or Taiwan's territorial air space. Taiwan defines its contiguous zone as being 24 nautical miles from its coast. In March, Taiwan Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng warned that the island had to be on alert this year for a 'sudden entry' by the Chinese military into areas close to its territory. Taiwan's government rejects the claims and says only the island's people can decide their future. Since August it has regularly sent jets across the strait's median line, which had previously served as an unofficial barrier.īeijing claims democratically governed Taiwan as China's territory.

TAIPEI, June 24 (Reuters) - Eight Chinese war planes crossed the Taiwan Strait's median line and approached close to the island's contiguous zone that is 24 nautical miles (44 km) off its coast on Saturday, the Taiwanese defence ministry said, in a further rise in tensions.Ĭhina's air force over the past three years has routinely flown into the air space around Taiwan.

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