Taiwan’s MND said, 17 Chinese military aircraft and 5 naval ships detected near Taiwan

Five navy boats and 17 Chinese military aircraft were seen operating close to Taiwan till six in the morning (local time), according to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) on Saturday.

According to Taiwan’s MND, 13 of the 17 PLO aircraft reached the southern Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) of Taiwan after crossing the Taiwan Strait’s middle line.

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) posted the information on X.

https://twitter.com/MoNDefense/status/1867736355801116701?

Up to 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today, 17 PLA planes and 5 PLAN ships were seen flying over Taiwan. Thirteen of the planes entered Taiwan’s southwest ADIZ after crossing the median line. Taiwan MND said on X, “We have kept an eye on the issue and have reacted appropriately.

Taiwan reported nine government ships, 14 naval vessels, and 12 Chinese aircraft close to its territory on Friday.

“Up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today, we detected 12 PLA aircraft, 14 PLAN vessels, and 9 official ships operating around Taiwan,” Taiwan MND said in a statement on X. Six of the planes entered Taiwan’s northern and southern ADIZ after crossing the median line. We have kept an eye on the issue and taken appropriate action.

As Beijing continues to establish its claims over the island, this episode is part of a recent trend of China’s more aggressive maneuvers surrounding Taiwan, which raises worries about regional stability.

The MND started holding war-preparedness exercises at key points around the island in reaction to the PLA’s actions, and it is working closely with the Coast Guard Administration to put the right countermeasures in place.

The long-running and intricate geopolitical dispute between China and Taiwan is centered on Taiwan’s sovereignty. Officially referred to as the Republic of China (ROC), Taiwan functions as a de facto sovereign state with its own government, military, and economy.

The “One China” doctrine, which maintains that there is only one China with Beijing as its capital, is insisted upon by China, which views Taiwan as a renegade province.

Since the Chinese Civil War (1945–1949), when the ROC government fled to Taiwan after the Communist Party, headed by Mao Zedong, seized power in mainland China, this has exacerbated decades of hostility.

Beijing has continuously said that it wants to reunite with Taiwan and has isolated Taiwan on a global scale via diplomatic, economic, and military pressure. Taiwan, meantime, maintains its independence with the backing of a sizable section of its populace.