Taiwan's Ministry of Defense announced on Tuesday that it had detected 59 Chinese military aircraft and nine ships near its territorial waters over the past 24 hours, the highest number this year.Taiwan's Central News Agency, citing a Defense Ministry statement, said it detected more than 20 aircraft crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait (which separates the island from China) and other aircraft entering Taiwan's air defense identification zone between 6 a.m. Monday and 6 a.m. Tuesday (local time). Two reconnaissance balloons were also detected at the same time.The ministry added that it had expedited air and naval combat patrols and deployed defensive missile systems to track Chinese military aircraft. The Chinese military action came as Taiwan was preparing to begin five-day maneuvers involving several aircraft and warships, aimed at immediately countering Chinese military movements. Taiwan split from China after a civil war in 1949, but Beijing considers the island an integral part of its territory.