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After missiles, 22 Chinese fighter jets cross median line, says Taiwan
On Wednesday, Taiwan scrambled jets to warn away 27 Chinese aircraft in its air defence zone, the island's defence ministry said.
As many as 22 Chinese Air Force jets crossed Taiwan Strait 'median line' on Thursday Taipei's defence ministry said, a day after US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi made a solidarity trip to the self-ruled island.
On Wednesday, Taiwan scrambled jets to warn away 27 Chinese aircraft in its air defence zone, the island's defence ministry said, adding that 22 of them crossed the median line separating the self-ruled island from China amid rising tensions.
China demonstrated its outrage over the highest-level US visit to the island in 25 years Pelosi with a burst of military drills around Taiwan, summoning the American ambassador in Beijing and halting several agricultural imports from the island.
Japan estimated that five ballistic missiles landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone, and four of those likely flew over Taiwan. If confirmed, it would mark a major escalation as it would be the first time China has flown missiles over Taiwan itself.
Officials in Taiwan have not commented on the specific flight path of the projectiles. Pentagon spokesman John Supple said the defence department isn’t commenting on the missile activity.
China also sent long-range rockets near the northwestern outlying islands of Matsu and Dongyin, and Wuqiu in the west, Taiwan confirmed. Its defence ministry said it had strengthened its guard around the islands, which are located closer to China’s coastline than Taiwan.
Japan’s defense minister Nobuo Kishi condemned Beijing for its actions, saying it marked the first time a ballistic missile belonging to the Chinese military had landed within the waters of its exclusive economic zone, according to Kyodo News.
Earlier this week, China warned airlines to avoid “danger zones” around Taiwan after it announced its most provocative drills in decades in response to Pelosi’s visit, including missile tests and live-fire exercises.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is under pressure to give a strong response to the trip, particularly after some local nationalists were disappointed that Beijing wasn’t able to deter Pelosi from visiting. She left Taiwan on Wednesday and held meetings in South Korea on Thursday before heading next to Japan.
