TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 59 Chinese military aircraft and 11 naval vessels around the country, including 39 warplanes that crossed the median line, on Monday (April 10).

The MND on Monday said the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command is carrying out its third day of military exercises around Taiwan dubbed "Joint Sword," and Taiwan's armed forces are closely monitoring their movement. As of 10 a.m. on Monday, the MND detected 59 People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military aircraft and 11 People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels.

A total of 39 aircraft and 11 ships had crossed the central and southern areas of the median line of the Taiwan Strait or entered the southwest or southeast corners of Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ). Aircraft tracked in the ADIZ include the Sukhoi Su-30, Chengdu J-10, Shenyang J-11, Shenyang J-15, Shenyang J-16, Xian H-6 bomber, Xian Y-20 aerial refueling aircraft, Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare aircraft, Shaanxi Y-9 electronic warfare plane, and Shaanxi KJ-500 early warning aircraft.

In addition, a battle group led by the Shandong aircraft carrier was detected conducting flight training in the Western Pacific. The MND said that it responded by scrambling combat patrol aircraft, dispatching naval vessels, and deploying air defense missile systems.

Two hundred PLAAF military aircraft were detected around Taiwan on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.