Taiwan detects 42 Chinese warplanes in military drills

(Patria) - More than 40 Chinese warplanes flew into Taiwan's air defense identification zone on Saturday, as part of military exercises that Taiwan called "irrational and provocative".

Around 26 Chinese aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, Taiwan's Ministry of Defense said, BBC reports.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army "launched joint air and sea patrols and navy and air force military exercises around Taiwan Island," said military spokesperson Shi Yi, as reported by Xinhua.

The exercises would serve as a "stern warning against the collusion of 'Taiwan independence' separatists with foreign elements and their provocations," he added.

The exercises follow Chinese dissatisfaction with Taiwan's Vice President William Lai's recent stopover in the United States.

China launched large-scale military exercises after Nancy Pelosi, then Speaker of the US House of Representatives, visited Taiwan last year, and again when President Tsai Ing-wen met with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California.

Lai, a frontrunner in Taiwan's upcoming January presidential election, was visiting the US on a trip to Paraguay. China said Lai was a "troublemaker" and would take "resolute measures" to "safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity".

Taiwan said it would send "appropriate forces" to respond with "practical actions," adding that the military was using reconnaissance methods to "strictly control" the situation.

"Conducting military exercises this time under pretext not only does not help peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, but also highlights (China's) militaristic mentality and confirms the hegemonic nature of its military expansion," Taiwan's Ministry of Defense said.

Taiwan's Foreign Minister said that the Chinese military exercises were aimed at influencing Taiwan's elections.