“Two Chinese fighter jets crossed the center line of the Taiwan Strait,” Taiwan’s defense ministry told Reuters.

Yesterday, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry announced, “We have detected 5 ships and 4 warplanes in areas near Taiwan.”

On September 1, Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu stated that “it appears that China is preparing for military action against us.” On August 9, he reported that “China is conducting air and naval exercises to encircle the island in preparation for its invasion and changing the status quo in the Asia-Pacific region.”

A record number of Chinese air incursions hit Taiwan in August, when more than 440 military aircraft infiltrated its air defense zone, while visits by US lawmakers to the island angered Beijing.

According to a database compiled by AFP based on data from the Chinese Ministry of Defense, 446 Chinese aircraft, mostly fighters, entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone in August, more than 380 violations recorded during 2020.