The Chinese military participated in live-fire drills 65 miles northwest of Taiwan on Tuesday, following an exercise last week that encircled the island nation.
The pre-dawn maneuvers, which lasted four hours near the Pingtan Islands, reportedly involved 26 surface vessels and 17 combat aircraft.
Taiwan’s defense ministry stated in a post on X that 11 of the planes entered the country’s Air Defense Identification Zone at three different locations.
Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai criticized the latest action by the communist regime, telling reporters during a local news briefing the incident “will only cause unnecessary tension.”
China's provocative behavior comes after a series of similar incursions by its armed forces over the past five years, which the Taipei government describes as efforts to assert Beijing's control over Taiwan.
Related Story: Chinese Military Encircles Taiwan in Latest Exercises
