Taiwan spotted 29 Chinese aircraft and eight naval ships near its territory

Taiwan detected 29 Chinese military aircraft, eight naval ships and one official ship operating near its territory from 6 am Wednesday (local time) to 6 am Thursday (local time).

According to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND), 29 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s northern, southwestern, and eastern air defense identification zones (ADIZ).

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

“As of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today, 29 PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN ships, and 1 official ship have been observed around Taiwan. 20 aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, central, and southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded,” Taiwan’s MND said in a post on X.

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 around Taiwan, including regular air and naval incursions into Taiwan’s ADIZ and military exercises near the island.

According to a Taiwan News report, since September 2020, China has intensified its use of grey zone tactics by increasing the number of military aircraft and naval ships operating near Taiwan.

The report states that grey zone strategies are considered “an effort, or series of efforts, beyond static deterrence and reassurance, that attempts to achieve its security objectives without the use of direct and large-scale force.”

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

Earlier this month, Lin Yu-chang, the secretary-general of Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), said that “Taiwan’s sovereignty is inviolable.” he/she made the remarks at a recent event in San Francisco, reports the Central News Agency (CNA).

Speaking at a meeting organized by the Taiwanese American Federation of Northern California (TAFNC), Lin affirmed that “Taiwanese have the decisive power to decide their own future.”

Lin highlighted that the themes of Taiwan’s sovereignty and self-determination have been at the center of President Lai Ching-te’s speeches since his/her inauguration in May.

In a press briefing before his/her keynote address at the Dinner Lecture, Lin discussed how Taiwan’s global importance has increased due to major events such as the pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war. Lin reiterated that “supporting Taiwan” is a bipartisan stance in the United States, reflecting shared democratic and freedom values.

Lin Yu-chang, who will serve as Taiwan’s interior minister between January 2023 and May 2024, is currently on a 13-day visit to the US. The DPP secretary-general visited New York, Washington DC and Houston after arriving in the US on August 31, CNA reported.

Lin said he/she would not reveal details of his/her meetings with US officials, citing sensitivities related to the upcoming US presidential election, tense US-China relations and Taiwan’s sovereignty and Beijing’s ongoing opposition to the DPP.