Taiwan tracks 22 Chinese aircraft, 7 naval vessels around its territory

Taiwan reported high military activity, tracking 22 Chinese aircraft and 7 Chinese naval vessels around its territory.

The island nation’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) in a statement said that China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft and People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels have been detected in and around Taiwan’s Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ).

17 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, southwestern and eastern ADIZ, prompting a strategic response from Taiwan’s defence forces.

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence in a post on X said, “22 PLA aircraft and 7 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 17 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, southwestern and eastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly.”

Earlier, on Thursday, Taiwan reported heightened military activity by China around the Taiwan Strait early Thursday, revealing that a significant number of Chinese aircraft and vessel around its territory.

The MND detected 20 PLA aircraft and 6 PLAN vessels in the vicinity of Taiwan, marking a notable escalation in military activities.

Ten of the detected aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait’s median line, which traditionally serves as an informal boundary separating the two sides.

The incident comes amid rising tensions across the Taiwan Strait, as China has increased its military presence and conducted frequent drills in the region. The manoeuvres are seen as part of Beijing’s ongoing pressure campaign against Taiwan, which China views as a renegade province.

In recent months, both Taiwan and China have experienced heightened military interactions, including regular incursions into Taiwan’s ADIZ and increased naval patrols in the Taiwan Strait. These activities are viewed as efforts by China to assert its claims over Taiwan and challenge Taiwan’s sovereignty.

The increased military activity by China has drawn concerns from international observers and partners of Taiwan.