Taiwan claimed that 47 Chinese aircraft and seven naval vessels, as well as one official ship, were detected operating around the island state. According to Taiwan’s Defence Ministry, on Saturday 41 out of the People’s Liberation Army aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, southwestern, and eastern air defence identification zone.

They were detected until 6 am local time (2200GMT), said the ministry, adding that they have monitored and “employed aircraft, navy ships and coastal missile systems in response to detected activities.”

An air defence identification zone is a designated area of international airspace extending beyond a nation’s sovereign borders where aircraft identification is required for national security purposes. China, which considers Taiwan a breakaway province, does not recognise the median line or the air defence zone. Taipei, however, has insisted on its independence since 1949.