[Aljazeera] Taiwan has reported the largest ever incursion by the Chinese air force into its air defence zone, with 38 aircraft flying in two waves as Beijing marked the founding of the People's Republic of China.Chinese-claimed Taiwan has complained for a year or more of repeated missions by China's air force near the democratically governed island, often in the southwestern part of its air defence zone close to the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands.
The Taiwan Defence Ministry first reported Taiwanese fighters had scrambled against 18 J-16 and four Su-30 fighter jets plus two nuclear-capable H-6 bombers and an anti-submarine aircraft on Friday.
Then in the early hours of Saturday, the ministry said a further 13 Chinese aircraft were involved in a mission on Friday night – 10 J-16s, 2 H-6s and an early warning aircraft.
It said Taiwan sent combat aircraft to warn away the Chinese aircraft, while missile systems were deployed to monitor them.
The first batch of Chinese aircraft all flew in an area close to the Pratas Islands, with the two bombers flying closest to the atoll, according to a map issued by the ministry.