Taiwan detects 24 Chinese aircraft, 6 ships near its territory

The Ministry of National Defense (MND) detected 24 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft and six People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships operating around Taiwan as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) on Wednesday.

According to the MND, 21 aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones (ADIZ).

“As of 6am today (UTC+8), 24 PLA aircraft and 6 PLAN ships have been detected operating in the vicinity of Taiwan,” MND wrote in a post shared on Twitter.

“21 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, southwestern and eastern ADIZs,” it said. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly.”

On Tuesday, the MND detected 22 PLA aircraft of different types, including J-16, KJ-500 and others. Of the 22 PLA aircraft, 19 crossed the midline of the Taiwan Strait and entered the northern, central, southwestern and eastern ADIZ, conducting air-sea joint training with other PLAN ships.

Earlier on January 13, the ministry had detected six PLA aircraft and six PLAN naval vessels as of 6:00 a.m. (UTC+8), four of which crossed the median line and landed in northern and southwestern Taiwan. Were entering ADIZ.

In recent weeks, China has been markedly increasing its ability to attack Taiwan’s coastlines with innovative naval equipment. This includes the formal launching of a Large Landing Helicopter Assault (LHA) ship, which no other navy in the world has, and the mass production of floating bridge docks to assist in landing ships during beach landings. . Both types of equipment are strong indications that China is serious about attacking Taiwan one day.

The Taiwan–China issue is a complex and long-term geopolitical conflict centered on the sovereignty of Taiwan. Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), operates as a de facto independent state, operating its own government, military, and economy.

However, China considers Taiwan a separate province and insists on the “One China” policy, claiming there is only one China, with Beijing as its capital.

This has fueled decades of tension, especially since the Chinese Civil War (1945–1949), when the ROC government retreated to Taiwan after the Communist Party led by Mao Zedong took control of mainland China.

Beijing has consistently stated its goal of reunification with Taiwan, while using diplomatic, economic, and military pressure to isolate Taiwan internationally. Meanwhile, Taiwan, supported by a significant portion of its population, continues to maintain its independence.