The three jets landed "safely" at Chihhang Air Base in Taitung on Sunday morning, Taipei-based Central News reported, citing the country's air force.

The aircraft took off from Lockheed Martin’s factory in South Carolina last Tuesday.

Taipei received its first two F-16 Block 70 fighter jets last month.

Under the Phoenix Rising program, US defense contractor Lockheed Martin and Taiwan’s Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. upgraded 140 F-16A/B fighters to the F-16V Block 20 configuration. The upgrades were completed in December 2023.

China had reiterated its "firm" opposition to US arms sales to Taiwan after the self-ruled island received the first two of 66 F-16V Block 70 fighter jets from Washington.

The sale of the 66 F-16Vs and related equipment was approved by the US administration in 2019 for approximately $8 billion, in a deal representing a significant upgrade to Taipei's air defense capabilities amid persistent tensions with Beijing.

China considers Taiwan a breakaway province.