LOC14:54
11:54 GMT
TOKYO, July 17 (KUNA) -- A total of 58 Chinese military aircraft, nine naval vessels, and one official ship were detected around the Taiwan Strait over the 24 hours through Thursday morning, the Taiwanese Defense Ministry said on Thursday.
Of the 58 Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, 45 crossed the Taiwan Strait median line and entered in the nation's northern, central, southwestern, and eastern air defense identification zone between 6:00 a.m. Wednesday (2200 Tuesday GMT) and 6:00 a.m. Thursday, the ministry added in a statement.
These included fighter jets, bombers, drones and support aircraft. In response, Taiwan deployed aircraft and naval ships, as well as coastal-based missile systems, to monitor PLA activity.
An air defense identification zone, a self-declared area in which a country reserves the right to identify, locate and control approaching foreign aircraft, is not considered territorial airspace under international law.
China and Taiwan separated after a civil war in 1949, but Beijing sees the island as its territory. (end)
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