Taiwan's Defence Ministry has announced that it had to scramble jets after 27 Chinese military aircraft entered its air defence identification zone. The deployed jets "warned" the Chinese planes to change their course. The island also activated ground air defences to monitor the movements of the Chinese aircraft.
The Chinese aircraft group consisted of 18 fighter jets of unspecified models, five H-6 bombers, as well as one Y-20 aerial refuelling aircraft. The ministry did not specify what the three remaining aircraft were.
The PLA's jets and bombers flew near Taiwan's southern borders before turning away and flying back to their bases.
Taipei has been reporting increased activity by the Chinese Air Force for the past two months, each time scrambling jets to fend them off. China sees the island as a part of its territory and a breakaway province, but has so far taken no action in order to forcibly incorporate it into the country.
Beijing strongly condemns any attempts by foreign countries to communicate with Taiwan as an independent entity. China also harshly condemned the US plans to sell new armaments and upgrades to the island's armed forces.