“8 PLA aircraft and 8 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m.(UTC+8) today. 3 of the aircraft entered our southwestern ADIZ. #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and responded accordingly,” Taiwan’s ministry of national defence (MND) posted on X.
China has been increasing its use of gray zone tactics since September 2020, with a higher number of military aircraft and naval ships operating in close proximity to Taiwan. In June alone, Taiwan has detected Chinese military aircraft near its territory over 132 times and naval/coast guard vessels more than 109 times.
The previous day, from Wednesday to Thursday, Taiwan detected 23 Chinese military aircraft and seven naval vessels operating around the island country. Nineteen of the 23 Chinese military aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s southwest and eastern ADIZ. Taiwanese armed forces responded by sending aircraft and naval ships and deploying coastal-based missile systems to monitor China’s activity.
These recent incidents are part of a larger pattern of provocations by China in recent months, with increased military activities around Taiwan, including regular air and naval incursions into Taiwan’s ADIZ. China maintains its claim of sovereignty over Taiwan, considering it a part of its territory and insisting on eventual reunification, by force if necessary.