12 PLA planes cross Taiwan Strait median line: Defense ministry

Taipei, April 27 (CNA) A total of 12 Chinese military aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait Saturday morning, according to Taiwan's defense ministry.

The 12 People's Liberation Army (PLA) planes entered Taiwan's northern and central air defense identification zone (ADIZ) and were operating in coordination with PLA vessels in waters around Taiwan in a routine "joint combat readiness patrol," the ministry said.

The planes were part of a larger fleet of 22 aircraft, including Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets, KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft, and drones, which were detected in the airspace around Taiwan from 9:30 a.m. Saturday, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said in a statement issued at 12:10 p.m.

An ADIZ is a self-declared area in which a country claims the right to identify, locate and control approaching foreign aircraft, but it is not part of the country's territorial airspace as defined by international law.

The MND said that on Saturday Taiwan's military was closely monitoring the situation and had deployed combat air patrol aircraft, vessels and coastal missile defense systems in response to the PLA intrusion.