Taiwan says record 103 Chinese planes flew toward island

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - China sent 103 warplanes toward Taiwan over the past day in what the island’s Defense Ministry said Monday was a daily record in recent times.

The Defense Ministry of the island nation said it also detected nine Naval vessels of the People's Liberation Army “around Taiwan.”

Some 40 of the detected Chinese aircraft “crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait or entered Taiwan’s southwest, southeast ADIZ,” the ministry said on X, referring to the air defense identification zone. China neither recognizes the median line nor ADIZ.

It said Taiwanese armed forces “monitored the situation and tasked CAP (combat air patrol) aircraft, navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond to these activities.”

In April, Taiwan said the Chinese military sent 91 warplanes toward the island in a 24-hour period.

China considers Taiwan as its “breakaway province” while Taipei has insisted on its independence since 1949.