China sent 25 warplanes and three warships towards Taiwan this morning, the island's Defense Ministry said, as tensions remain high between Beijing and Taipei's main backer Washington.
Taiwan's ministry said it spotted 19 of those planes crossing into Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) while the three ships were continuing to operate in the Taiwan Strait.
Taiwan responded by scrambling its fighter jets, dispatching ships, and activating coastal missile defense systems to 'closely monitor and respond'.
Similar incursions are staged by China on a near-daily basis, part of what are termed 'gray zone' tactics, aimed at intimidation and wearing down Taiwan´s equipment, exhausting its personnel and degrading public morale. Those also include cyberwarfare and disinformation campaigns, along with a relentless drive to deprive Taiwan of diplomatic allies.
But now Taiwan has responded by upgrading its fleet of 141 F-16 fighter jets and has ordered 66 more of the planes from the U.S., as tensions ramp up even further between Beijing and Washington.
As well as the aircraft, Taiwan has also purchased a range of other weaponry from its U.S. allies. Last September, the country spent $1.1 billion in the deal that included Sidewinder surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles.
The island nation will also extend its mandatory term of military service for all males from four months to one year.
Despite the incursion from China, the aircraft did not cross the sensitive median line of the Taiwan Strait, which previously served as an unofficial barrier between the two sides but which China's air force has been flying over on an almost daily basis since staging war games near Taiwan last August.
No shots have been fired and the Chinese aircraft have been flying in Taiwan's ADIZ, not in its territorial air space.
The ADIZ is a broader area Taiwan monitors and patrols that acts to give it more time to respond to any threats.
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