TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense tracked 53 Chinese military aircraft, 11 naval vessels, and eight official ships around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Tuesday and 6 a.m. on Wednesday.

Twenty-three of the 53 People’s Liberation Army aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the country’s northern, southwestern, and eastern air defense identification zone, according to the MND. 

In response, Taiwan sent aircraft and naval ships and deployed coastal-based missile systems to monitor PLA activity. So far this month, Taiwan has tracked Chinese military aircraft 203 times and ships 129 times.

The MND on Monday said China announced seven restricted airspace zones east of Zhejiang and Fujian from Monday to Wednesday for large-scale military exercises. On Tuesday, the MND said the Chinese naval fleet deployed in the region for the drills is the largest in years.