The presence of so many Chinese combat aircraft on this mission - Taiwan said it was made up of eight nuclear-capable H-6K bombers and four J-16 fighter jets - is unusual. Taiwan's air force warned away the Chinese aircraft and deployed missiles to monitor them, the ministry added, using standard wording for how it responds to such activities. The US State Department urged China to stop pressuring Taiwan, and reaffirmed its commitment to the island and desire to deepen ties. Last year during visits by senior US officials to Taipei, Chinese aircraft briefly crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, which normally serves as an unofficial buffer. The flight by the Chinese bombers and fighters on Saturday came just days after Joe Biden assumed the US presidency.

Source: bd News24 January 24, 2021 02:15 UTC