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Over 20 Chinese aircraft spotted around Taiwan — island’s top brass

In response, the Taiwanese military issued radio warnings, scrambled air patrols and deployed air defense systems

© An Rong Xu/Getty Images

HONG KONG/XIANGGANG/, March 15. /TASS/. Taiwan spotted 28 Chinese aircraft and four ships around the island, the island’s Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday.

Today, as of 6:00 a.m., 28 aircraft and four ships of the PLA (People’s Liberation Army of China) were spotted around Taiwan, the ministry said on Twitter.

As Taiwan’s top brass claimed, 16 Chinese aircraft crossed the so-called median line of the Taiwan Strait or intruded into the island’s self-declared air defense identification zone. The Taiwanese Defense Ministry mentioned, in particular, Su-30, J-11 and J-16 fighters, an Y-8 radar surveillance aircraft, a BZK-005 reconnaissance drone, a long-range radar surveillance plane and a WZ-7 unmanned aerial vehicle.

In response, the Taiwanese military issued radio warnings, scrambled air patrols and deployed air defense systems.

The Chinese army has been regularly sending its aircraft and naval ships to the island after then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi paid a visit to Taiwan. China slams these visits as a provocation and interference in its internal affairs.

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. According to China’s official position supported by most countries, including Russia, the Island of Taiwan is one of China’s provinces.

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