Taipei, Taiwan - Taiwan's defense ministry on Friday said that it had detected 36 Chinese military aircraft around the island nation over the previous 24 hours.

A further 26 aircraft, including fighters, transport planes, and drones, were detected after 6:55 AM on Friday (6:55 PM ET), the ministry revealed in a statement.

China claims self-ruled democratic Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory and has said that it would never renounce the use of force to bring it under Beijing's control.

A few weeks ago, insiders reported that Washington had been assured by Chinese representatives that no nuclear arms would be used on Taiwan in a potential conflict.

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Beijing has, however, stepped up pressure on Taipei in recent months and held war games around the island following the May 20 inauguration of new Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te, whom Beijing regards as a "dangerous separatist."

During those drills, Beijing sent 62 military aircraft around Taiwan, the highest single-day total this year, as well as 27 naval vessels, according to Taipei's defense ministry.

The latest incursions came after the Chinese coast guard seized a Taiwanese boat over suspected illegal fishing off the coast of China's Quanzhou and close to Taiwan's offshore Kinmen islands.

Taipei insisted that the boat was operating in a "traditional fishing ground" for both sides, and demanded its immediate release.