China ramped up its pressure on Taiwan over the weekend, with an unusually large number of fighter jets approaching the island in a "test" as Joe Biden takes over as US president.
Yesterday, 12 Chinese fighter jets entered Taiwan's air defence identification zone, along with a reconnaissance aircraft and two anti-submarine aircraft, Taiwan's defence ministry said.
A day earlier, China sent eight bomber planes capable of carrying nuclear weapons and four fighter jets to the same area, as well as one reconnaissance aircraft.
![The Taiwan Ministry of National Defence holds the National Army Lunar New Year's Military Drill for Preparedness Enhancement 2021 in Hsinchu, Taiwan 19 Jan 2021. Photo / Getty Images](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/E2MWZIC6LFPOZ55G2353DVTRFY.jpg?auth=d58638e5fd9192a5b5477b7ce9b8b6cb9d1fefa4ed5d4c405d9d231ecacfd955&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
Taiwan sent up aircraft, issued radio warnings to the Chinese aircraft, and deployed air defence missile systems to monitor their activity.