BEIJING: China has conducted a second day of large military drills, sending navy vessels and a large group of war jets, including fighter planes and bombers toward Taiwan.
The island’s defense ministry said in a statement on Wednesday that Taiwan detected thirty Chinese aircraft over the sea, which included J-10 and J-16 warplanes at 7 a.m. local time (2300 GMT).
On Wednesday, twenty-three jets crossed the Taiwan Strait’s midline, which serves as a security buffer zone, DW reported.
Similar military activity by Beijing was reported on Tuesday in the same area when thirty-two Chinese air force jets had crossed the midline. The drills included 4 nuclear-capable H-6 bomber planes that flew to over the south of Taiwan.
The Chinese aircraft flew in coordination with its vessels to conduct joint training to the south of the island, and 4 of its warships were engaged in combat readiness patrols drill, the ministry said.
China’s drills and NATO summit
Beijing’s military tactics come ahead of Taiwan’s own annual military exercises and at a time when NATO is holding a meeting where leaders said China challenges the group’s interests, values, and security with its coercive and ambitions policies.
China views Taiwan as its own territory and in the past 3 years has amped up military drills in the region surrounding the island nation.
