China has flown another 27 military planes into Taiwan's airspace as tensions as around the South China Sea island continue to rise.
The Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense said that the Chinese military aircrafts entered the south west area of the nation's Air Defense Identification Zone earlier today.
They tweeted: '27 PLA aircraft (KJ-500 AEW&C*2, Y-9 EW, H-6*5, Y-20 Aerial Refueling, J-10*6, J-11*4 and J-16*8) entered Taiwan's southwest ADIZ on November 28, 2021.'
The latest move comes just days after China's military carried out 'combat readiness' patrols in the direction of the Taiwan Strait as a U.S. Congressional delegation made a surprise visit to Taipei and offered support to the Chinese-claimed, democratically governed island.
On Friday, the five members of the U.S. House of Representatives arrived in Taiwan for a two-day trip, the second time in a month U.S. lawmakers have visited.
China has flown 27 military planes in the southwest area of Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone
The Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense said that the Chinese military aircrafts had entered the southwest area
As with the last visit, China's military announced the patrols in the vicinity of the narrow and sensitive Taiwan Strait that separates the island from its giant neighbour.
The People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theatre Command said that on Friday it 'organised naval and air forces to continue combat readiness police patrols in direction of the Taiwan Strait'.
'The relevant actions are necessary to deal with the current situation in the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan is part of China's territory, and defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity is our military's sacred mission.'
China routinely denounces visits by U.S. politicians to Taiwan, and its foreign ministry said it had made a formal complaint to Washington about the latest trip by the bipartisan congressional group, saying playing the Taiwan card was 'a losing hand'.
Meeting Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen at her office earlier on Friday, the leader of the U.S. delegation praised the island as a 'force for good' in the world.
'Madame President, I want to commend and praise your leadership. Under your administration, the bonds between us are more positive and productive than they have been for decades,' said Mark Takano, chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, whose group was previously in Japan and South Korea.
