Taiwan scrambled jets and deployed missile systems on Friday in response to what Taipei described as China’s largest incursion into its air defence zone.
Taiwan’s defence ministry said the two waves of Chinese planes – 38 in all – included nuclear-capable bombers, according to the BBC.
China had made no comment by yesterday morning.
According to the report, Taiwan has been complaining for more than a year about repeated missions into its air defence identification zone (ADIZ) by People’s Liberation Army (PLA) planes.
In a statement, Taiwan’s defence ministry said 25 PLA planes entered the south-western part of the ADIZ during daylight hours, flying near the Pratas Islands atoll, and that this was followed by a second wave of 13 PLA aircraft in the same area on Friday evening. They flew over waters between Taiwan and the Philippines.
Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang told reporters yesterday: ‘China has been wantonly engaged in military aggression, damaging regional peace.’