Taiwan’s defense ministry has tracked 34 planes and nine ships of China’s army near the island overnight
Taiwan’s armed forces over the past 24 hours recorded the approach to the island of 34 planes and nine ships of the People’s Liberation Army of China (PLA), according to a daily summary of the Taiwanese Defense Ministry.
“From 06:00 of January 31 to 06:00 of February 1, 34 planes and nine ships of the People’s Liberation Army of China were detected around Taiwan,” the report said.
It is noted that 20 PLA aircraft entered the island’s air defense identification zone, including two Su-30 fighters, two J-11s, four J-10s, six J-16s, BZK-005 and BZK-007 drones, a Y-8 multipurpose aircraft, a Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft and two Y-8 electronic reconnaissance aircraft.
The PLA reduced activity around Taiwan during the Lunar New Year vacation, which lasted from January 21 to 27. Data from the island’s Ministry of Defense shows that while 31 PLA planes and four ships were detected around Taiwan on January 20 and 14 PLA planes and three ships on January 21, a total of 33 PLA planes and 22 PLA ships approached the island during the six days of the Lunar New Year.
The situation around Taiwan escalated significantly after the visit of then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the island in early August of last year. China, which considers the island one of its provinces, condemned Pelosi’s visit, seeing in this step U.S. support for Taiwan separatism, and held large-scale military drills.