Taiwan detects record 153 Chinese military aircraft after drills

Taiwan detects record Chinese military aircraft near island, prompting condemnation from U.S. and Japan.

Taiwan detected a record 153 Chinese military aircraft around the self-ruled island, official data showed on Tuesday (October 15, 2024), after China held a day of large-scale drills.

The aircraft was spotted in the 25 hours to 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday (October 15, 2024 (2200 GMT Monday), the Defence Ministry said in a statement — the most for a single day.

Beijing deployed fighter jets, drones, warships and coast guard boats to encircle Taiwan on Monday (October 14, 2024), with Taiwan responding by dispatching "appropriate forces" and placing its outlying islands on heightened alert.

Taiwan condemned China's actions as "irrational and provocative", and the U.S. called them "unwarranted".

Japan said on Tuesday (October 15, 2024) it had expressed its "concerns" to China over the drills, and scrambled fighter jets near its southern island of Yonaguni.

"The government is closely monitoring the related activities with great interest, and has conveyed Japan's concerns to the Chinese side," deputy chief cabinet secretary Kazuhiko Aoki told reporters.

Taiwan's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday (October 15, 2024) urged China "not to cause trouble for no reason and become a troublemaker that undermines peace and stability".