Taiwan says 21 Chinese aircraft detected in second ‘combat’ patrol in a week
Trump refuses to say if he’d defend Taiwan from Chinese aggression
Taiwan detected 21 Chinese aircraft, including J-16 fighter jets and drones, and multiple warships conducting a “joint combat readiness patrol” around the island on Monday.
This marks the second such Chinese military exercise near Taiwan within a week, prompting Taiwan to deploy its own ships and fighter aircraft for monitoring.
China views Taiwan as its own territory and regularly conducts military operations around the island, while Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims.
The latest patrol follows discussions between Chinese President Xi Jinping and American president Donald Trump regarding the dispute over Taiwan earlier this month.
Taiwan’s defence ministry confirmed the “combat patrol” had concluded but continues to track the movements of the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning in the Western Pacific.
