In the span of 24 hours, nine Chinese fighter jets and one military drone crossed the middle line in the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan's defense ministry said that ten Chinese planes crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, which is usually an unofficial border between the two countries. This is happening as Beijing keeps up its military activities near the island.

In the 24 hours before 6 a.m. local time on Saturday (or 20 p.m. GMT on Friday), nine Chinese fighter jets and one military drone crossed the median line, the ministry said in a daily report on Chinese military activities.

The ministry said, in standard language, that Taiwan sent combat planes to warn the Chinese planes to stay away while missile systems kept an eye on them.

China claims Taiwan as its own land, and Taiwan has been upset about the Chinese air force's almost daily missions near the democratically run island, often in the southwestern part of its air defense identification zone.

Nine Chinese planes crossed the median line on Friday to do combat readiness patrols. Taiwan's defense ministry said that this "deliberately created tension" and hurt peace and stability.

Beijing has warned of unspecified retaliation if Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, who is currently traveling in Central America, meets Kevin McCarthy, the speaker of the US House of Representatives, on her way to Latin America.

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Tsai went to Guatemala on Friday to strengthen ties with allies that are getting harder to find after Honduras became the latest country to cut diplomatic ties with Taipei in favor of Beijing. She will also go to Belize, which is close by.

On her way back to Taipei from Central America at the end of this month, Tsai is likely to meet McCarthy in Los Angeles.

Washington said there was no reason for China to "overreact" to the "normal, uneventful" trip, while Beijing said the US was "playing with fire" by hosting Tsai.

China held war games near Taiwan in August after then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei. China has continued military activities near Taiwan, but on a smaller scale.

SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES