Taiwan spots 23 Chinese military aircraft and 7 naval ships around the country

According to Taiwan News, the Defense Ministry said it detected 23 Chinese military aircraft and seven naval ships around Taiwan between 6 am on Sunday and 6 am on Monday (local time).

According to the MND, 19 of the 23 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft crossed the midline of the Taiwan Strait in the northern, southwestern and eastern sectors of the country’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ).

In response, Taiwan sent aircraft and naval ships to monitor PLA activity and deployed coastal-based missile systems, according to Taiwan News.

On June 23, the Ministry of Defense observed 15 Chinese military aircraft and six naval ships surrounding it.

According to Taiwan News, so far this month, Taiwan has tracked Chinese military aircraft 324 times and naval/coast guard vessels 190 times. Since September 2020, China has increased its use of grey zone tactics by increasing the number of military aircraft and naval vessels operating around Taiwan.

Grey zone tactics are defined as “an effort, or series of efforts, beyond static-containment and reassurance, that attempts to achieve one’s security objectives without using direct and massive force.”

This latest incident is among 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 the ADIZ.

Taiwan has long been a contentious issue in Chinese foreign policy. China continues to claim sovereignty over Taiwan, considers it part of its territory, and insists on its reunification, if necessary by force.

Meanwhile, in a recent incident, a Chinese rocket carrying a satellite passed over southern Taiwan on Saturday, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry (MND) said, and Central News Agency (CNA) Taiwan reported.

The Chinese rocket was launched at 3 pm (local time) from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan, China, CNA reported. According to Taiwan’s MND, the rocket had already left the Earth’s atmosphere when it passed over Taiwan.

Taiwan’s MND said it was closely following the launch and tracking real-time information through intelligence and surveillance systems. It had alerted the public about the imminent launch on Friday, CNA reported.