China flies record 52 warplanes toward self-ruled Taiwan

By HUIZHONG WU
Associated Press

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China has sent 52 fighter planes toward Taiwan in the largest show of force on record, continuing the three days of sustained military harassment against the self-ruled island. The sortie included 34 J-16 fighter jets and 12 H-6 bombers, among other aircraft, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense. Taiwanese air force scrambled the jets and monitored the movement of the Chinese warplanes on its air defense system. China claims democratically ruled Taiwan as its own territory, to be brought under its control by force if necessary. It refuses to recognize the island’s government and has increasingly sought to isolate it. Experts have called the flights and other military maneuvers gray zone warfare, or anything short of war.