Taiwan's defense ministry announced the invasion of eight Chinese fighters and two other aircraft into the island's air defense identification zone, one of which flew through the strategic Bashi channel, Reuters reports.

Taiwan's defense ministry said four Chinese J-16 fighters and four J-10 fighters, as well as an early warning aircraft and an anti-submarine aircraft, were deployed, the latter taking off south of Taiwan through the Bashi Channel, which connects the Pacific Ocean to the South China Sea.

The ministry added that the Taiwan air force has dispatched combat air patrols and alerted Chinese planes.