Taiwan Reports Increased Chinese Military Activity Around Its Borders
On Wednesday, Taiwan reported detecting 18 Chinese military aircraft and 6 naval vessels operating around its territory as of 6 am local time. According to the Ministry of National Defence, five of these aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the northern, southwestern, and eastern sectors of Taiwan’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ).
In response, Taiwan deployed aircraft, naval ships, and coastal-based missile systems to monitor the activity. This follows a similar detection on June 25, when 17 Chinese military aircraft and 8 naval vessels were observed around Taiwan between 6 am Monday and 6 am Tuesday.
The Ministry of National Defence reiterated Taiwan’s commitment to safeguarding its territorial integrity and maintaining regional stability amid heightened military activities. The presence of Chinese military forces near Taiwan has raised international concerns, especially amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Asia-Pacific region. The United States and other regional allies are closely monitoring the situation, emphasizing the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
So far this month, Taiwan has tracked Chinese military aircraft 336 times and naval/coast guard vessels 197 times. Since September 2020, China has increased its use of gray zone tactics, which involve efforts to achieve security objectives without direct and sizable use of force.
