Taiwan’s defense ministry reported that 19 J-10 fighters had entered the southwest corner of the island’s air defense identification zone, although closer to China’s coast than Taiwan’s, according to a map released by the ministry.
Over the past three years, Taiwan has voiced concern over Beijing’s increased military presence near the island in an effort to assert China’s sovereignty claims.
Despite the outrage this causes in Taipei, China defends its actions there, saying it is protecting its territory and warning the U.S. not to work with Taiwan.
The planes did not cross the Taiwan Strait’s sensitive median line, but the Chinese air force has been doing so almost daily since August, when it staged war games near Taiwan.
There have been no reports of shots fired, and the Chinese planes have been flying within Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ).
