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China Sends Barrage of Warplanes Toward Taiwan for the Second Day in a Row

The Chinese Communist Party put on a show of nationalistic military air might with incursions into Taiwan’s airspace.

Amidst the 72nd anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party’s rule, tensions were already high between mainland China and Taiwan. Now, according to the AP, China has flown more than 35 military planes toward the self-governing island for the second day in a row. Though China has been sending the planes frequently over the past year, the sorties of 38 and 39 jets on Friday and Saturday, respectively, were the most launched in a single day, according to Taiwan’s Central News Agency. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry says that 20 planes took off during daylight on Saturday while the other 19 took off at night. Most of the aircraft were J-17 and SU-30 fighter jets. Taiwan premier Su Tseng-chang condemned the flights. “China has always conducted brutal and barbarian actions to jeopardize regional peace,” he said on Saturday.