Taiwan reports hike in Chinese military activity

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) reported Chinese military activity on Saturday and detected 25 Chinese aircraft and 7 vessels around Taiwan.

In a post on X, the Ministry of National Defence (MOD) of Taiwan noted, “25 PLA aircraft and 7 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today”.

The MOD noted that 13 aircrafts “crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s southwestern and southeastern ADIZ”.

The Taiwanese Ministry of Defence announced that it has monitored the situation and responded accordingly.

In recent times, Chinese incursion has increased in Taiwan. In response, Taiwan has stepped up security on its maritime borders.

On Friday, Taiwanese President, Lai Ching-te attended the completion ceremony for the #ROCN Shuei-Sing Barracks. This base will serve as the new home for the Taiwanese Navy Underwater Operations Unit and enhance its training capabilities.

Earlier on Tuesday, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed gratitude towards the US, Japan, and Australia for their joint statement calling for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, Taiwan News reported.

This statement followed the 14th Trilateral Defence Ministers’ Meeting (TDMM) in Darwin, Australia, where defence ministers from the three nations, Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles, Japanese Minister of Defense Nakatani Gen, and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III reaffirmed their commitment to regional security.

Taiwan Presidential Office Spokesperson shared the joint statment on X, and wrote, “Presidential Office responds to a joint statement following the trilateral meeting of US, Japanese, and Australian defence ministers.”

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te convened a high-level national security conference in which he assured the public about the government’s commitment to neutralising any threat to Taiwan’s democracy and security after China staged a large-scale military drill around the island.

He made his remarks in response to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) announcement of military drills, named “Joint Sword-2024B,” in the Taiwan Strait and surrounding areas, which were described as a “stern warning” to advocates of Taiwan independence, according to the Taipei Times.