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Taiwan reports 91 Chinese aircraft, 12 ships in its air defense zone

"At present, there are still eight [PLAN] vessels in the waters around Taiwan. We will keep a close eye on their movement," according to a statement

HONG KONG /XIANGGANG/, April 11. /TASS/. The Taiwanese military has registered 91 aircraft and 12 ships of China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) near the island in the past 24 hours, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry reported on Tuesday.

"As of 6:00 a.m. (01:00 a.m. Moscow time - TASS) today, 91 aircraft and 12 PLAN vessels were detected," the ministry reported on Twitter.

According to it, 54 aircraft crossed the so-called median line in the Taiwan Strait and entered the southwestern and southeastern sectors of the island’s air defense identification zone. The aircraft included Chinese fighter jets, bombers, radar reconnaissance planes and a drone.

"At present, there are still eight [PLAN] vessels in the waters around Taiwan. We will keep a close eye on their movement," according to a statement.

On Monday, the PLAN said it had completed the exercise, called Joint Sword, around the island, which took place on April 8-10.

Last week, US House Spokesman Kevin McCarthy held a meeting with Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen, whose itinerary included a stopover in the United States. Following the meeting, the US emphasized the need to continue weapons sales to Taiwan. The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a protest, warning that Beijing would take effective and decisive retaliatory measures.

Taiwan, China’s largest island, has been governed by its local administration since 1949 when the remaining Kuomintang forces led by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) fled to the island after being defeated in China’s civil war. Taiwan has preserved the flag and several other symbols of the Republic of China that had existed before the Communists took control of the mainland. According to Beijing’s official position, which is supported by most countries, including Russia, the island of Taiwan is a province of China.

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