Taiwan says 25 Chinese planes and three ships sent toward island

Two soldiers lower the national flag during the daily flag ceremony on Liberty Square of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei, Taiwan (Chiang Ying-ying/AP/PA)

China sent 25 warplanes and three warships toward Taiwan on Wednesday morning as tensions remain high between Beijing and Taipei’s main backer Washington.

The island’s Defence Ministry said 19 of those planes crossed into Taiwan’s air defence identification zone while the ships were continuing to operate in the Taiwan Strait.