China sends 43 military aircraft, 8 naval ships towards Taiwan

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) said that 43 Chinese military aircraft and eight naval ships were detected around Taiwan between 6 am Wednesday (local time) and 6 am Friday (local time), Taiwan News reported.

According to the MND, 34 of the 43 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft crossed the midline of the Taiwan Strait and entered the southwestern and eastern Air Defense Identification Zones (ADIZ). These included fighter jets, drones and helicopters.

“43 PLA aircraft and 8 PLAN ships were observed operating around Taiwan as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 34 aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s southwestern and eastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly,” the Taiwan MND said on X.

Taiwan sent combat patrol aircraft and naval ships to monitor PLA movements and deployed land-based air defense missile systems.

This latest military activity by China adds to a series of similar provocative actions by Beijing in recent months. China has increased its military activities near Taiwan, including regular air and naval incursions into Taiwan’s ADIZ and military exercises near the island.

So far this month, the MND has tracked 366 Chinese military aircraft and 200 ships. Since September 2020, Beijing has increased its use of “grey zone tactics” by operating military aircraft and naval ships around Taiwan.

According to CSIS, gray zone tactics are “an effort or series of efforts beyond static deterrence and reassurance that seeks to achieve security objectives without resorting to the direct and large-scale use of force.”

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

In early July, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te accused the Chinese government of misinterpreting a UN resolution and making improper connections to its “one China” principle to justify its military activities against Taiwan, the Central News Agency (CNA) reported.

Beijing claims the UN resolution reaffirms its one-China principle, which implies there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China.