China dispatched dozens of aircraft as Canadian warship passed through Taiwan Strait?

Taiwan's Defense Ministry said it detected 24 Chinese military aircraft near the island today, February 16, as a Canadian warship passed through the Taiwan Strait, according to AFP.

"The Royal Canadian Navy's Halifax-class frigate HMCS Ottawa passed through the Taiwan Strait on February 16," Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, according to AFP.

Canadian frigate HMCS Ottawa

Meanwhile, Taiwan's Defense Ministry said today that it had detected 24 Chinese aircraft, including fighter jets and drones, conducting "joint combat readiness patrols" with Chinese military vessels around the island.

During the HMCS Ottawa's passage through the Taiwan Strait, the Chinese military contacted the Canadian warship via radio and warned it to change course, AFP reported citing Taiwanese media.

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that this is the first time a Canadian warship has passed through the Taiwan Strait since the beginning of the year, coming a few days after two US military ships passed through this sensitive sea area.

A US Navy destroyer and an ocean survey ship passed through the Taiwan Strait starting on February 10, prompting a response from the Chinese military, saying the US had sent “wrong signals and increased security risks”.

Data released by Taiwan's Defense Ministry showed that 62 Chinese military aircraft were detected near Taiwan in the 48 hours up to 6 a.m. on February 12, coinciding with the time the US ship passed through the Taiwan Strait.

There is currently no information about China's reaction to the Canadian warship passing through the Taiwan Strait, nor the Taiwan Defense Agency's release of the number of Chinese military aircraft operating near Taiwan today.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/trung-quoc-dieu-hang-chuc-may-bay-luc-tau-chien-canada-qua-eo-bien-dai-loan-18525021615035149.htm