Taiwan detects 22 Chinese aircraft, six naval vessels around territory

Taiwan detected 21 Chinese aircraft, six naval vessels and one official ship operating around its territory from 6 am (local time) on Friday to 6am (local time) on Saturday.

According to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND), 17 of the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's northern, southwestern, and eastern Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ).

Taiwan said in response to Chinese incursions, it has monitored the situation and responded accordingly.

"21 PLA aircraft, 6 PLAN vessels and 1 official ships operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 17 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly," Taiwan's MND stated in a post on X.

This latest Chinese military activity adds to a series of similar provocations by Beijing in recent months. China has increased its military activities near Taiwan, including regular air and naval incursions into Taiwan's ADIZ and military exercises near the island.

Since September 2020, China has intensified its use of gray zone tactics by increasing the number of military aircraft and naval vessels operating near Taiwan, according to a Taiwan News report.

According to Taiwan News report, gray zone tactics are considered "an effort or series of efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and assurance that attempts to achieve one's security objectives without resorting to direct and sizable use of force.

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

Earlier in July, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te accused the Chinese government of misinterpreting a United Nations resolution to justify its military activities against Taiwan and drawing an inappropriate linkage to its "One China" principle, the Central News Agency (CNA) reported.

Beijing claims that the UN resolution confirmed its one-China principle, which implies that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China.