Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense reported a significant increase in military activities from the People’s Republic of China near the island on Thursday. Authorities registered 32 sorties by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) combat aircraft, along with ten warships and five official vessels, up until the morning (local time).
Twenty-five of the 32 aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, thereby penetrating the Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) in the northern, central, southwestern, and eastern areas of Taiwan. The Taiwanese military monitored and responded to the situation closely.
While it is common for the Chinese military to test and cross the border near Taiwan, the number of instances is typically lower. This latest spike follows a pattern of continuous military escalation by China concerning Taiwan in recent months. Beijing regards Taiwan as an inalienable part of China, repeatedly reinforcing this claim through historical, political, and legal arguments.
