China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its own and has never renounced the use of force to take back what it deems a wayward province.

Trump's call with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Dec. 2 was the first between a U.S. president-elect or president and a Taiwan leader since President Jimmy Carter switched diplomatic recognition to China from Taiwan in 1979.

China lodged a diplomatic protest over the call and blamed Taiwan for what it called a "petty" move.

But there was no indication the exercise by its military aircraft on Saturday was a response to the telephone call.

The Chinese jets flew north to south and entered the Miyako Strait around Japan's southern islands as well as the Bashi Channel south of Taiwan, but did not enter Taiwan's air defense identification zone, Taiwan's defense ministry said in a statement.