Taiwan records Chinese warplanes, ships near island

Taiwan's Defense Ministry on Thursday said that it has detected 68 Chinese warplanes and 10 navy vessels around its shores in 24 hours.

As of 6 a.m. local time on Thursday, 40 of the detected aircraft — which included fighter jets and a drone — crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered the self-ruled island's southwestern and southeastern air space, the ministry said.

Taipei had previously said that some of those planes and warships were heading to an unspecified area of the Western Pacific to "conduct joint sea and air training" with China's Shandong aircraft carrier.

Earlier this week, Taiwan had cautioned that China was stepping up "gray zone" activities around the island.

It accused Beijing of seeking to stir regional tensions and put pressure on the territory that China claims as its own, while avoiding an all-out conflict.