Taiwan reports Chinese warplanes cross sensitive median line ahead of election

Taiwan has reported Chinese warplanes and warships around the island on Thursday, including aircraft crossing the sensitive median line of the Taiwan Strait, as Beijing keeps up its military activities ahead of Taiwan's January election.

 

Democratically governed Taiwan, which China claims as its territory, has complained of regular Chinese military patrols and drills near the island for the past four years.

 

The strait's median line once served as an unofficial



barrier between the two sides, but Chinese planes now regularly fly over it.

 

Taiwan's ministry said Taiwan sent its forces to monitor.

 

This month, Taiwan has reported at least three other similar large-scale sorties by China's air force. China says its activities near Taiwan are aimed at preventing collusion between Taiwan separatists and the United States and protecting China's territorial integrity.