Taiwan tracks large Chinese air and naval presence around island

The Ministry of National Defense of Taiwan reported that 38 sorties of Chinese military aircraft and 9 naval vessels operated around the island.

According to the ministry, 31 out of the 38 aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered the northern, central, and southwestern sectors of Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

The Ministry said in a public statement: “38 sorties of PLA aircraft and 9 PLAN ships operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 31 out of 38 sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s northern, central, and southwestern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy ships, and coastal missile systems in response to detected activities.”

The ministry also released a map detailing the routes of the aircraft, showing multiple flight paths approaching Taiwan’s airspace from the northwest and southwest. The breakdown of activity included fighter jets, bombers, support aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.

For Taiwan, these operations are not new. Chinese military flights into Taiwan’s ADIZ have increased in frequency and scale over recent years. However, the crossing of the median line remains a benchmark for escalation, as the line served for decades as an informal boundary designed to reduce military friction between the two sides. The ministry’s data indicates that the majority of today’s flights crossed that threshold.

Taiwan’s use of Combat Air Patrol aircraft, naval vessels, and missile units represents a standard response pattern that aims to track and deter Chinese incursions without contributing to escalation. The statement from the Ministry of National Defense emphasizes monitoring and controlled reaction, stating that the Armed Forces “have responded” to the situation.

While the median line itself has no legal standing, it has been treated as a crucial stabilizing convention. China no longer acknowledges its relevance, arguing that the entire strait constitutes Chinese territory. Taiwan rejects that position and considers the crossings to be deliberate pressure tactics.