Taiwan reports Chinese military activity near its territory

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) has said that it detected 30 Chinese military aircraft and 8 naval vessels operating near its territory from 6 am (local time) on Wednesday and 6 am (local time) on Thursday.

According to Taiwan’s MND, 19 of the Chinese military aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern, and southeastern Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ). In response to China’s action, Taiwan sent aircraft, and naval ships and deployed coastal-based missile systems to monitor China’s military activity, Taiwan News reported.

In a post on X, the Taiwan Ministry of National Defence (MND) stated, “30 PLA aircraft and 8 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 19 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern, and southeastern ADIZ. We’ve monitored the situation and responded accordingly.”

So far in July, Taiwan’s MND has detected Chinese military aircraft 65 times and naval ships 20 times. Since September 2020, China has intensified its use of gray zone tactics by increasing the number of military aircraft and naval vessels that operate around Taiwan.

Gray zone tactics are “an effort or series of efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and assurance that attempts to achieve one’s security objectives without resort to direct and sizable use of force,” according to Taiwan News report.

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) and military exercises near the island.

Taiwan has been governed independently of China since 1949. However, China considers Taiwan as part of its territory and insists on eventual reunification, by force if necessary.

Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration (CGA) has called on China to explain why it seized a Taiwanese fishing vessel, the Da Jin Man No 88, and demanded the immediate release of its vessel and its six crew members, Taiwan News.

A vessel registered in Penghu named Da Jin Man No 88 was boarded and seized by the Chinese coast guard on July 2. The ship was reportedly boarded about 20 km from a port in Fujian Province’s Jinjiang County in response to a summer fishing ban.

The CGA said two Taiwanese and three Indonesians were on board. According to CGA, the fishing vessel was about 10 km away from the province’s shores at the time of interception.

CGA Deputy Director-General Hsieh Ching-chin stated that the agency received a report on Tuesday from the owner of a Taiwanese fishing boat that it had been intercepted by two Chinese coast guard vessels 43.89 km (23.7 NM) northeast of Liaoluo Port in Kinmen, as per Taiwan News.

The CGA dispatched the PP-10081 and PP-3505 patrol boats to aid the Da Jin Man No 88. The CGA also sent the PP-10039 for assistance. The PP-10081 was intercepted by three Chinese coast guard ships at 9:14 pm (local time)CGA demanded that China release a seized Taiwanese fishing boat, the Da Jin Man No 88. but the Chinese coast guard responded by urging them not to interfere.

Further, the CGA detected four more Chinese coast guard ships converging on the scene. The Coast Guard was unable to get the fishing boat released and to avoid escalation decided to pull back.

According to Taiwan News, Hsieh said by 10:30 pm Tuesday, (local time) the Taiwanese fishing boat had been taken to Fujian’s Port of Weitou by the Chinese coast guard. The boarding location was 20.74 km from Fujian’s town of Shenhu within Chinese territorial waters.