32 Chinese warplanes buzz around Taiwan in just 24 hours - the second-highest number this year after the island nation admitted stationing US troops

Thirty-two Chinese warplanes were detected over Taiwan in just 24 hours, the country's defense ministry said. 

In the 24 hours between Wednesday 6am and Thursday 6am local time, the second highest number of Chinese planes this year buzzed over the island nation accompanied by five naval vessels around Taiwan. 

Twenty of the aircraft 'crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait', the Ministry of National Defense said in a statement on Thursday. The aircraft were detected after nightfall and included fighter jets, unmanned drones and medium-range transport aircraft, according to the ministry. 

Of those twenty, 'nine crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered the north, central and south parts of Taiwan's (air defense identification zone)', the ministry said in a post on X. 

It comes after Taiwan's defense minister appeared to admit that US troops have been stationed on islands off the coast of China earlier this week. 

Thirty-two Chinese warplanes were detected over Taiwan in just 24 hours, the country's defense ministry said. Pictured: File photo of a Chinese jet near a US fighter

In the 24 hours between Wednesday 6am and Thursday 6am local time, the second highest number of Chinese planes this year buzzed over the island nation. Pictured: File photo of a Chinese jet near a US fighter

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has refused to recognize China's claim over Taiwan, which led Beijing to cut of high-level communications with her government

China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has stepped up its military pressures on the democratic nation since the election of its current president Tsai Ing-wen in 2016. 

Tsai has refused to recognize China's claim over Taiwan, which led Beijing to cut off high-level communications with her government. 

Lai Ching-te, formerly Tsai's deputy, was elected as president in January, despite  Beijing branding him a 'dangerous separatist'. He is set to take office on May 20.  

Beijing frequently sends in warplanes and other military aircraft over the island and keeps a near-constant presence around its waters using its ships. 

Another 33 warplanes, the highest number this year were detected in two other 24-hour periods in late January and early February, according to AFP. 

Hostilities have escalated after Taiwan's defense minister appeared to admit that US troops have been stationed on islands off the coast of China earlier this week. 

It is believed that if the defense chief, Chiu Kuo-cheng, was correct, the US military would be training Taiwanese forces on small islands close to mainland China, including Kinmen Island.

Taiwan 's defense minister appeared to accidentally admit that US troops have been stationed off the coast of China , in what would be a startling escalation of hostilities in the region

The US has consistently said that it would support Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion, which Chinese President Xi reportedly warned President Biden that he intended to carry out when they held a landmark summit in San Francisco last year

Coastal islands such as Kinmen are scarcely populated, and are primarily where most of Taiwan's amphibious forces are positioned - which may now be bolstered by US Special Forces

Pictured: Taiwan Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng

If US troops are stationed on Kinmen, it would mark a dramatic increase in America's presence in the region. 

Kinmen Island is over 100 miles from Taiwan's main island, but just three miles from China's coastal city of Xiamen.

The apparent admission came after a report by Sofrep that claimed US Special Forces have already been deployed to the coastal islands - with it previously believed that limited troops were only deployed to Taiwan.

'This exchange is for mutual observation, to identify the problems we have, figure out how to improve and to recognize their strengths so we can learn from them,' Chiu said in response to a question on the report.

The US has consistently said that it would support Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion, which Chinese President Xi reportedly warned President Biden that he intended to carry out when they held a landmark summit in San Francisco last year.