New Delhi, India

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Amid escalated tensions, Taiwan's defence ministry said the country's air force scrambled again to warn off 19 Chinese aircraft that entered its air defence zone on Thursday (September 23). The large display of force by China comes after Taiwan announced its intention to join an 11-nation Pacific trade group. 

The ministry further informed that the Chinese aircraft included 12 J-16 fighters and two nuclear-capable H-6 bombers as CAP aircraft was tasked, radio warnings were issued and air defence missile systems deployed to monitor the activity. 

This latest entry of Chinese aircraft is one of the many as Beijing has regularly been sending planes into Taiwan's ADIZ. Taiwan and China split during a civil war in 1949, but China continues to claim full sovereignty over Taiwan. 

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Taiwan has also applied to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) on Wednesday (September 22) but admitted that there is a "risk". 

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Taiwan's government addressed a potential political roadblock to joining the CPTPP after formally applying on Wednesday, less than a week after China. 

Taiwan has been trying to counter the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, which has been repeatedly opposed by Beijing. 

As China has threatened that "Taiwan's independence" means war. On June 1, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to complete reunification with self-ruled Taiwan and vowed to smash any attempts at formal independence for the island. 

(With inputs from agencies)