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China's ‘largest incursion’ in Taiwan yet to air defence zone: 8 points
China-Taiwan Conflict: Taiwan said the drills showed Beijing was destroying regional peace and trying to intimidate Taiwan's people.
Seventy-one Chinese air force aircrafts which included fighter jets and drones entered Taiwan's air defence identification zone in the past 24 hours, the island's government said marking the largest reported incursion to date.
The incursion included 43 Chinese aircraft that crossed the Taiwan Strait's median line which is an unofficial buffer between the two sides that lies within the defence zone, Taiwan's Defence Ministry said.
Here are 8 points on the story:
1. As Beijing continues military activities close to the Chinese-claimed island, Taiwan's official Central News Agency said it was the largest Chinese air force incursion to date.
2. China claims Taiwan as its own territory and said on Sunday that it had conducted "strike drills" in the sea and airspace around Taiwan.
3. Beijing said that it came in response to what it said was provocation from the democratically governed island and the United States.
4. Taiwan said the drills showed Beijing was destroying regional peace and trying to intimidate Taiwan's people.
5. Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen said that there is a need for Taiwan to boost its defence capacity due to "the continuous expansion of authoritarianism".
6. "The more preparations we make, the less likely there will be rash attempts of aggression. The more united we are, the stronger and safer Taiwan would become," Tsai Ing-wen said.
7. Taiwan's defence ministry said that some of the Chinese planes, mostly fighter jets, briefly crossed the median line in the sensitive Taiwan Strait before returning to China.
8. Seven Chinese navy ships were also detected near Taiwan, the ministry said.
