55 Chinese warplanes detected around Taiwan

Dozens of Chinese warplanes were detected around Taiwan in a day, the self-ruled island's defence ministry said yesterday, as it called on Beijing to stop its "provocative actions".

The latest sorties came a day after China flew 103 warplanes in the 24-hour window from Sunday to Monday morning around Taiwan, which the island's authorities said was a "recent high" number.

The ministry said China flew 55 aircraft and sailed seven naval vessels around the island from Monday to yesterday morning.

Beijing claims Taiwan as its own territory to be seized one day, and has ramped up diplomatic and military pressure on Taipei in recent years.

Yesterday, Taiwan's ministry accused China of carrying out "provocative actions" that were leading to "rising tensions and deteriorating regional security."

Around half of the 55 warplanes detected crossed the so-called median line of the Taiwan Strait that separates the island from China, and entered its ADIZ, Taipei said.