Taiwan Monitors Chinese Military Aircraft and Ships Near Its Borders

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense reported detecting 15 Chinese military aircraft and six naval vessels around Taiwan between Saturday and Sunday. Eight of the aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the northern and southwestern portions of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ).

In response, Taiwan deployed aircraft, naval ships, and coastal-based missile systems to monitor the activity. On June 22, Taiwan tracked 41 Chinese military aircraft and seven navy ships, with 32 aircraft crossing the median line and entering the northern, southwestern, and eastern ADIZ.

This month, Taiwan has tracked Chinese military aircraft 301 times and naval vessels 183 times. Since September 2020, China has increased its military activities around Taiwan, using gray zone tactics to assert its sovereignty over Taiwan, which it considers part of its territory.