A total of 39 Chinese military aircraft, including bombers, stormed Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Sunday. Taipei responded by activating the missile defense system.
In addition, Taipei also deployed several fighter jets to deliver warnings to dozens of Chinese military aircraft.
The attack by 39 Chinese aircraft against Taiwan's ADIZ in a day was the largest maneuver this year.
"39 PLA [People's Liberation Army] aircraft; two Y-9 EW, 10 J-10, 24 J-16, two Y-8 ELINT, and one H-6 entered the ADIZ southwest of Taiwan on January 23, 2022," the ministry said. Taiwan Defense, quoted from his Twitter account, @MoNDefense, Monday (24/1/2022).
The island's ADIZ is not the same as territorial airspace but is a self-declared airspace that is monitored for national security purposes.
China regards Taiwan as its own territory and has promised to take the island by force if necessary. There was no immediate comment from Beijing on the latest developments.
According to a flight path that Taiwan Defense Ministry officials posted online, the Chinese planes flew to the northeast of Taipei's Pratas Island.
"In response, Taiwan deployed its own warplanes and broadcast radio alerts while air defense missile systems were deployed to monitor the activity," the ministry said in a statement.
