HONG KONG/XIANGGANG, August 12. /TASS/. Ten planes of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army on Friday crossed the Taiwan Strait median line, Taiwan’s National Defense Ministry said.
The planes were four Su-30, four J-11 and two J-10. The Taiwanese military sent out warning radio signals and put air defense systems on alert.
China’s armed forces on August 4 started major military maneuvers involving missile firing in six maritime areas around Taiwan. The drills started the day after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrapped up her visit to Taiwan, which was condemned by Beijing. On August 10, a representative of PLA said the armed forces completed their missions, which some observers interpreted as a signal that the drills came to an end.
Taiwan has been governed by its local administration since 1949 when the Kuomintang’s remaining forces headed by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) were defeated in the Chinese Civil War and took refuge on the island. Taiwan has preserved the flag and several other symbols of the Republic of China that had existed before the Communists took over the mainland. Beijing regards the island as one of its provinces, a stance supported by most other countries including Russia.