Taiwan's defense ministry said it detected activities of a total of 39 Chinese military aircraft and three naval vessels around Taiwan in the 24 hours through Thursday morning.

The ministry said that of the military planes, one unmanned aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait.

It said 29 of the aircraft, including J-16 fighters, H-6 bombers and Y-20 aerial refueling tankers flew over waters south of the median line into Taiwan's air defense identification zone.

The ministry said some of those planes passed over the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines, then entered areas southeast of Taiwan on the Pacific side before taking the same route back to China.

Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning is now in the Pacific Ocean near Japan's Okinawa Prefecture.

China is also currently conducting joint naval exercises with Russia in the East China Sea.

Taiwanese military expert Chieh Chung said the flights of the many Chinese warplanes could be linked to the navigation of the carrier Liaoning.

He said that while he doesn't think this is directly connected to the annual China-Russia joint drills, it is convenient for China to have people think there is a possible association.