Taipei's defence ministry announced Friday the highest single-day number of Chinese military aircraft around the self-ruled island this year, which analysts attributed as a reaction to Taiwan's political outreach to Europe in recent days.
Beijing claims democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring it under China's control.
Friday's incursion, an uptick from the previous day's tally, follows a pattern of what experts dub "grey zone" actions -- tactics that fall short of outright acts of war -- which have ramped up since the 2016 election of President Tsai Ing-wen.
Political tensions have also risen since January after Tsai's deputy Lai Ching-te -- who Beijing regards as a "dangerous separatist" -- was elected as president, and amid an ongoing row between China and Taiwan over a fatal boat incident.
In the 24 hours leading up to 6:00 am Friday (2200 GMT Thursday), the Ministry of National Defence said it had detected 36 Chinese military aircraft and six naval ships operating around Taiwan.
The ministry added that among the aircraft detected, 13 had "crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait", the sensitive waterway separating China from Taiwan.
Friday's announcement comes on the heels of nighttime activity by the Chinese military, with Taiwan's defence ministry announcing around 10:30 pm Thursday that 20 fighter jets, aerial unmanned vehicles and transport planes had been detected from 7:30 pm.
It is also the day after an uptick in activity during the 24-hour period ending at 6:00 am Thursday, when the ministry said Beijing had sent in 32 aircraft.
