Taiwan detects five Chinese military aircraft, seven naval vessels near its territory

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) said on Sunday that five Chinese military aircraft and seven naval vessels operating around Taiwan from 6 am (local time) on Saturday to 6 am (local time) on Sunday.

According to Taiwan MND, five of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft entered Taiwan’s northern, central, Southwest, and Southeast Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ). In response to China’s action, Taiwanese armed forces have monitored the situation and responded accordingly.

In a post on X, Taiwan MND stated, “5 #PLA aircraft and 7 PLAN vessels operating around #Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 5 of the aircraft entered Taiwan’s northern, central, SW, and SE ADIZ. #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and responded accordingly.”

This latest incident adds to a series of similar provocations by China in recent months. China has increased its military activities around Taiwan, including regular air and naval incursions into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

Taiwan has long been a contentious issue in China’s foreign policy. China continues to assert its sovereignty over Taiwan and considers it a part of its territory and insists on eventual reunification, by force if necessary.

On Saturday, Taiwan’s MND said that 23 Chinese military aircraft and five naval vessels operating around Taiwan from 6 am (local time) on Friday to 6 am (local time) on Saturday.

Of these, 20 Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwest and eastern Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ), according to Taiwan’s MND.

“23 #PLA aircraft and 5 PLAN vessels operating around #Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 20 of the aircraft entered Taiwan’s northern, central, SW, and eastern ADIZ. #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and responded accordingly,” Taiwan’s MND posted on X.

On June 25, Taiwan’s Coast Guard (CGA) monitored four China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels in restricted waters off the Taiwan-controlled Kinmen Islands, Central News Agency (CNA) reported.

The intrusion was reported to the CGA’s Kinmen-Matsu-Penghu Branch sometime after 5 am (local time). CGA’s Kinmen-Matsu-Penghu Branch said that they dispatched three patrol boats to keep a watch on the Chinese vessels and collect evidence until they left the area at 8 am (local time).

The branch said that four Chinese boats, numbered 14609, 14603, 14513, and 14605, paired up and respectively entered the restricted area from east of Beiding Island and south of Fuxing Island for sorties that lasted about two hours, CNA reported.

Taiwan’s CGA stressed that the actions of the Chinese Coast Guard do not maintain the ties between Kinmen and Xiamen, nor do they advance regional stability. However, the China Coast Guard (CCG) said its actions were legal since it stepped up patrols in the waters around Kinmen in June.