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A Chinese J-10 fighter jet (stock image)
Photo: Ym Yik/ dpa
China has sent 39 planes to the island nation's air defense zone, Taiwan said.
The Ministry of Defense in Taipei announced that this year is a new high point in daily operations.
The air defense zone, known in technical jargon as the identification zone for air defense (ADIZ), is not identical to the airspace of a state.
The aircraft are 34 J-10 and J-16 fighter jets, one H-6 fighter jet and two Y-9 and Y-8 machines.
The Taiwanese Ministry of Defense shared images of the planes on Twitter.
In response, Taiwan reportedly activated its anti-missile defense system.
The Chinese pilots were also warned over the radio.
It is China's largest provocation in the airspace near Taiwan since October 4, 2021, when 56 aircraft entered the air defense zone.
Beijing sees democratic Taiwan, which broke away from the mainland in 1949, as a breakaway province rather than an independent state.
In addition, the People's Republic of China rejects any form of formal relations between other countries and the island republic.
atb/dpa
