Taiwan Responds to Rising Chinese Military Incursions

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense reports monitoring 14 Chinese military aircraft and 7 naval vessels within 24 hours. In response, Taiwan deployed aircraft, ships, and missile systems. This continues a series of increased Chinese military activities around Taiwan involving air and naval incursions.

In the past 24 hours, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) has tracked 14 Chinese military aircraft and seven naval vessels around the island, reported Taiwan News. Among the 14 aircraft from the People's Liberation Army (PLA), 13 violated the median line of the Taiwan Strait across various sectors of the northern, central, southwestern, and southeastern air defense identification zones (ADIZ), according to the MND.

In response, Taiwan deployed its own aircraft, naval ships, and coastal-based missile systems to monitor the PLA activities. Up to now, the MND has tracked Chinese military aircraft 160 times and naval ships 52 times this month. Since September 2020, Beijing has ramped up its 'gray zone' tactics, defined as strategic actions that attempt to achieve security objectives without direct, large-scale use of force.

On Sunday, the MND reported detecting 15 Chinese military aircraft and 10 naval vessels in the past 24 hours till 6 a.m. local time. Taiwan's armed forces responded by deploying aircraft, naval vessels, and coastal missile systems. A statement from the MND on social media platform X noted that 14 of these aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's central, southwestern, and southeastern ADIZ. These latest incursions are part of a broader pattern of increased Chinese military activity near Taiwan, including regular air and naval exercises.

(With inputs from agencies.)