Chinese Air Forces Approach Taiwan's Coasts

The Taiwanese Ministry of Defense announced that "eight Chinese fighter jets crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and approached within 44.4 kilometers of the shores today, Saturday." The ministry stated in a statement that "starting from 8 a.m. local time (midnight GMT) today, 19 Chinese fighters were detected, including J-10 and J-16 models." It clarified that "eight of these fighters crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and approached to a distance of 44 kilometers." At the same time, the ministry noted that five Chinese warships carried out what it described as "joint combat readiness patrols." The ministry added that "Taiwan sent its aircraft and deployed its ships in response and activated ground missile systems," using traditional wording to describe how its forces respond to Chinese movements.