Taiwan says China sent 7 fighter jets, 5 navy ships, 1 balloon

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By  India Blooms News Service   Feb 19, 2024

Taiwans Ministry of National Defense has said it detected seven Chinese military aircraft, five naval vessels, and one balloon around the country between Friday and Saturday, media reports said.

The defence ministry said that seven Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) fighter jets had been detected in the Taiwan Strait, reported Taiwan News.

The ministry, however, indicated none of them had entered the air defence identification zone (ADIZ) or crossed the median line.

The ministry said it monitored the situation with its intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance system. In response, it scrambled combat patrol aircraft, dispatched naval vessels, and deployed land-based air defence missile systems, the news portal reported.

In addition, the ministry said a Chinese balloon was detected in the ADIZ at 1:41 a.m. on Friday 144 km (78 NM) northwest of Keelung City at an altitude of 6,096 m (20,000 feet).