TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 35 Chinese military aircraft and eight naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Tuesday (April 11) and 6 a.m. on Wednesday (April 12).

Of the 35 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, 15 entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND. Five Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets, four Chengdu J-10 jet fighters, four Shenyang J-16 fighter planes, and one Harbin BZK-005 reconnaissance drone crossed the Taiwan Strait median line.

Meanwhile, one KJ-200 airborne early warning and control aircraft was monitored in the southwest corner of Taiwan’s ADIZ.

In response, Taiwan sent aircraft, naval ships, and used land-based missiles to monitor the PLA aircraft and vessels.

So far this month, Beijing has sent 350 military aircraft and 66 naval vessels around Taiwan. China carried out large-scale military drills directed at Taiwan for three days between April 8 – 10 in response to President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California last week.

 Flight paths of 15 out of 35 PLA aircraft. (MND image)