Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense announced that it had located 21 Chinese military aircraft and 5 warships surrounding the autonomous island, explaining in a statement that it had found “5 warships and 21 PLA aircraft around Taiwan.”

“Thirteen PLA aircraft crossed the so-called median line separating the Taiwan Strait and entered the Taiwan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADZ),” the report said.

And on Thursday, US Senator Marsha Blackburn arrived in Taiwan for the second visit by a US congresswoman to Taipei since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit in August this year.

China’s policy of constantly sending warships and aircraft is designed to keep Taiwan, home to over 24 million people, from establishing independent relations with other countries.

Tensions between Washington and Beijing have escalated in recent weeks since Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in early August, despite repeated warnings from China.

Pelosi’s trip was followed by another visit by a US parliamentary delegation that arrived in Taipei last week, led by Democratic Senator Ed Markey, which also included 4 members of the House of Representatives.

The delegation met with Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen on Monday, and the two sides discussed cooperation on security and supply chains.

China sees visits by US officials as a “provocation” and “sends the wrong signal to separatists” in Taiwan.