11 Chinese Planes Cross the Median Line in the Taiwan Strait

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense announced that 11 Chinese aircraft crossed the median line in the Taiwan Strait on Friday morning, which is considered an unofficial boundary between the two sides, as Beijing intensifies military pressure on the democratically governed island. The ministry noted that it "monitored 24 Chinese military aircraft, including fighter jets and bombers, near Taiwan on Friday morning starting from 8 AM (00:00 GMT)," adding that "five Chinese warships also joined a joint patrol." It stated, "Taiwan sent aircraft and ships to warn against Chinese activities while missile systems monitored them." A senior security official in Taiwan told Reuters that "the Chinese activities on Friday were likely a response to a visit by a U.S. congressional delegation led by Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, to Taipei." Taiwan, which China considers part of its territory despite the island's objections, has complained in recent years about the nearly daily missions of Chinese air forces, which often occur in the southwestern part of its designated air defense zone.