China sends J-10s and J-11s across middle line of Taiwan Strait as U.S. Health Secretary starts Taiwan visit

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense has issued a press statement at 14:15hrs today saying that China had sent multiple J-10 and J-11 fighters across the middle line of the Taiwan Strait from 09:00 local time this morning.

Russian Ministry of Defence / CC BY-SA

The ministry said that besides monitoring the fighters with air defense missile systems, warnings were also broadcast over the radio and fighters were scrambled.

The move by China was not unexpected as U.S. Health Secretary Alex Azar starts his Taiwan visit today. Azar is the highest-ranking U.S. cabinet official to visit the island since 1979, when Washington switch its diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing. The incident over the strait occurred as Azar met Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen.

The middle line on the strait is not recognized under international law, it was drawn up by the United States in the 1950s to maintain peace between both sides. The line stretches from latitude 27 degrees north and longitude 123 degrees east to 23 degrees north and 119 degrees east.