MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th June, 2023) The Taiwanese armed forces detected 24 Chinese military jets and four vessels in the vicinity of the island on Sunday, the Taiwanese Defense Ministry said.
"As of 1400 (UTC+8) (06:00 GMT) today (Jun. 11), R.O.C. Armed Forces have detected 24 PLA aircraft (including J-10, J-11, SU-30, H-6, and AWACS), 10 of which crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, and 4 PLAN vessels conducted joint combat patrol," the ministry tweeted.
In response, Taiwan deployed combat air patrol aircraft, ships, and land-based missile systems, according to the statement.
Taiwan has been governed independently from mainland China since 1949. Beijing regards the island as its province, while Taiwan maintains that it is an autonomous entity but stops short of declaring independence. Beijing opposes any official foreign contacts with Taipei and regards Chinese sovereignty over the island as indisputable.
The latest escalation around Taiwan took place in April after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Beijing responded by launching massive three-day military drills near the island in what it called a "warning" to Taiwanese separatists and foreign powers.
