Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) said that 13 People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military aircraft and three People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels had been tracked around Taiwan.
"70 PLA aircraft and 11 PLAN vessels around Taiwan were detected by 6 a.m.(UTC+8) today. R.O.C. Armed Forces have monitored the situation and tasked CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond to these activities," Taiwan's Defence Ministry said in a tweet.
Types of Chinese planes monitored by the MND Saturday included the J-10, J-11, and J-16 fighter jets, the Xi'an Y-20 transport plane, the H-6K strategic bomber, and the KJ-500 early warning aircraft, Channel News Asia reported.
As China announced military drills, at least 42 Chinese military aircraft have been detected around Taiwan, with 29 crossing the country's northern, central, and southern median line, on Saturday, Taiwan News reported citing the Ministry of National Defense (MND).
Taking to Twitter, Taiwan's Defence Ministry said, " 5 PLA aircraft and 4 PLAN vessels around Taiwan were detected by 6 a.m.(UTC+8) today. R.O.C. Armed Forces have monitored the situation and tasked CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond these activities."
Of the nine People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, three were tracked in Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND. One CH-4 reconnaissance drone crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the northeast sector of the ADIZ, while two Shenyang J-11 fighter jets ente
"So make no mistake, the United States will continue to fly and to operate wherever international law allows. And it is incumbent upon Russia to operate as military aircraft in a safe and professional manner," United States Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said.
Taiwanese Ministry of National Defence said that 12 of the detected aircraft had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's southwest air defence identification zone (ADIZ).