Taiwan detects 20 sorties of Chinese aircraft in its territory

TAIWAN: Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) on Wednesday detected 20 sorties of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, eight People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels, and one official ship operating around Taiwan.

According to the MND, 18 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, southwestern, and eastern Air Defence Identification Zones (ADIZ).

Sharing a post on X, the MND wrote, “20 sorties of PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. It added, “18 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, southwestern and eastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded.

On Tuesday, MND said that 27 sorties of PLA aircraft, nine PLAN vessels and one ship were detected operating near Taiwan until 6 am. According to Taiwan’s MND, 27 sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s northern and southwestern ADIZ.

In response to Chinese activity, Taiwan’s armed forces deployed aircraft, naval ships, and coastal missile systems to monitor the situation. In a post on X, Taiwan’s MND stated, “27 sorties of PLA aircraft, 9 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 27 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern and southwestern ADIZ.

We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly. This incident follows a recent pattern of escalated manoeuvres by China around Taiwan, sparking concerns over regional stability as Beijing continues to assert its claims over the island.

Taiwan has been governed independently since 1949. However, China considers Taiwan part of its territory and insists on eventual reunification, by force if necessary.

Last week, Taiwan’s ruling party responded to growing fears about Chinese spying by requiring its members to declare their plans before visiting China, particularly Hong Kong and Macau, according to a report by Radio Free Asia (RFA). (ANI)