CHINA has sent five more fighter jets towards Taiwan in another terrifying wave of war games.

       The display of force comes after the self-governing island announced its intention to join an 11-nation Pacific trade group that Beijing has also applied to join.

       China has sent 24 fighter jets over Taiwan 3

       The move has sparked fears of WW3 Credit: AP

       China first sent 19 war planes into Taiwan airspace yesterday before sending five more in a second surge later the same day, sparking fears of World War 3.

       Taiwan deployed air patrol forces in response to the jets and tracked them on its air defense systems, the island’s Defense Ministry said in a statement.

       The planes used in the morning flight, some of which flew in a long L-shaped path, included two nuclear-capable bombers and an anti-submarine aircraft.

       Later in the day, China sent more bombers as well as an early warning aircraft.

       The Communist superpower has sent fighter jets toward Taiwan on an almost daily basis this past year.

       It stepped up its military harassment of the self-ruled island and has sent large displays of planes after political events which it views as interfering with its sovereignty

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       Taiwan and China split during a civil war in 1949, but Beijing continues to claim Taipei as part of its territory and opposes its involvement in international organisations.

       Taiwan announced on Thursday that it applied to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, setting up another potential clash with Beijing.

       China’s military sent 18 planes toward Taiwan last year when a top US diplomat visited the island and met with officials there.

       In June, it sent 28 warplanes after leaders of the Group of Seven industrialized nations issued a statement calling for a peaceful resolution of cross-Taiwan Strait issues.

       WAR GAMES

       It comes after Taiwan staged chilling biowarfare defence drills amid fears China is creating weaponised coronaviruses.

       Troops began this week by simulating a biological and chemical attack by Beijing as well as preventing a decapitation strike against their president.

       Drills are taking place throughout Taiwan as well as on the Taiwan Straits as part of its largest annual military exercise and involve both standing and select reserve forces.

       Taiwan recently proposed extra defence spending of $8.69billion over the next five years - including on new missiles - as it warned of an urgent need to upgrade weapons in the face of a "severe threat" from its neighbour.

       Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has made modernising the armed forces a priority, especially as Beijing ramps up its military and diplomatic pressure against the island it claims as "sacred" Chinese territory.

       'SEVERE THREAT'

       "The Chinese Communists have continued to invest heavily in national defence budgets, its military strength has grown rapidly, and it has frequently dispatched aircraft and ships to invade and harass our seas and airspace," Taiwan's Defence Ministry said.

       "In the face of severe threats from the enemy, the nation's military is actively engaged in military building and preparation work, and it is urgent to obtain mature and rapid mass production weapons and equipment in a short period of time."

       Deputy Defence Minister Wang Shin-lung said the new arms would all be made domestically - although the US will probably remain an important parts and technology provider.

       Taiwan has been keen to demonstrate it can defend itself, especially amid questions about whether Washington would come to its aid if China attacked.

       The weapons Taiwan aims to buy include cruise missiles and warships, the ministry said.

       Taiwan has already unveiled a class of highly agile stealth warships, which it refers to as an "aircraft carrier killer", and it's also developing its own submarines.

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       A formation of military H-6K bombers fly over Beijing Credit: AFP

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