Dozens of Chinese military planes, vessels detected in Taiwan waters and airspace

The Chinese military had one of its largest incursions around Taiwan in recent weeks Wednesday, according to defense officials. 

The Ministry of National Defense in Taiwan said 34 Chinese military aircraft and nine naval vessels were detected near the island nation around 3 a.m.

“Armed Forces have monitored the situation and tasked CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond these activities,” the ministry tweeted. 

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Twenty of the detected aircraft had crossed “the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s southwest ADIZ (Air Defense Identification Zone).”

The incursions by the Chinese military are almost a daily occurrence. Beijing has continued to fly military planes near Taiwan in an effort to re-enforce its stance that the island is part of China. 

Chinese military helicopters fly past Pingtan island, one of mainland China’s closest point from Taiwan, in Fujian province on August 4, 2022, ahead of massive military drills off Taiwan. 
(HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via Getty Images)

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At the end of December, China sent a record 71 planes and seven ships toward Taiwan — the largest such scale military exercise in 2022.

Fox News’ Greg Wehner contributed to this report.