Taiwan Detects 36 Chinese Aircraft and 7 Ships Near Its Territory

On June 21, Taiwan’s Ministry of Defence reported that 36 Chinese aircraft and seven ships were detected around its territory within the last 24 hours until 6 am on Friday. Out of these, 34 aircraft entered Taiwan’s southwestern and eastern Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

The Taiwanese forces monitored the situation and responded accordingly. The Ministry of Defence shared this information on the X platform, stating, “36 #PLA aircraft and 7 PLAN vessels operating around #Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 34 of the aircraft entered Taiwan’s SW and eastern ADIZ. #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and responded accordingly.”

Earlier on Thursday, Taiwan tracked 11 Chinese military aircraft and eight naval vessels around the island nation within the last 24 hours until 6 am Thursday. Out of these, seven aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the northern and southwestern sectors of the ADIZ, and one PLA helicopter was tracked in the southeast ADIZ.

Since September 2020, China has increased its military activities around Taiwan, using gray zone tactics. These tactics involve efforts to achieve security objectives without direct and sizable use of force. This latest incident is part of a series of similar provocations by China in recent months.

Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China, has long been a contentious issue in China’s foreign policy. China asserts its sovereignty over Taiwan and considers it a part of its territory, insisting on eventual reunification, by force if necessary.