Taipei, July 5 -- China's intensified military activities around Taiwan ahead of the nation's annual Han Kuang exercises have drawn sharp criticism from the United States, which called Beijing's actions illegitimate and destabilising, Taipei Times reported.

According to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND), 41 Chinese military aircraft and eight naval vessels were detected near the island within 24 hours, ending at 6 am yesterday. Of these, 27 aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, intruding into Taiwan's northern, central, and southwestern air defense identification zones (ADIZ), the Taipei Times noted.

In response, Taiwan's armed forces activated patrol aircraft, naval vessels, and coastal missile systems to mon...