Taiwan’s defense ministry spotted a fresh wave of Chinese military moves near its borders early Sunday, heightening tensions in the Taiwan Strait. Officials reported detecting 21 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, six People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels, and two official ships operating around the island until 6 a.m. local time.
Out of those 21 aircraft, 12 crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, entering Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ). Taiwan’s armed forces jumped into action right away. They sent out their own aircraft, naval vessels, and coastal missile systems to keep a close watch and respond to the Chinese military activity.
In a quick update on X (formerly Twitter), Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence shared the details: “21 PLA aircraft, 6 PLAN vessels and 2 official ships operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 12 out of 21 sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and responded.”
This isn’t an isolated event—it’s part of a growing pattern of Chinese incursions near Taiwan. Just the day before, on Saturday, Taiwan tracked even more activity: 28 PLA aircraft, six PLAN vessels, and two official ships until 6 a.m. local time. The ministry noted that 24 of those aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, southwestern, and eastern ADIZ. Taiwan’s forces monitored everything closely and took appropriate steps.
The trend continued on Friday too. Taiwan’s MND reported 17 PLA aircraft, nine PLAN vessels, and two official ships near its territory until 6 a.m. Nine of the aircraft crossed the median line into the northern and southwestern ADIZ, prompting Taiwan to monitor and respond swiftly.
These repeated Chinese military activities come amid ongoing threats from Beijing, which views Taiwan as part of its territory under the “One China” principle and pushes for reunification. But Taiwan stands firm, backed by its people’s strong support for independence. The island’s government continues to assert its sovereignty and stays ready to counter any provocations in the Taiwan Strait region.
