Taiwan has issued a stern warning to China following the detection of over 100 Chinese warplanes and nine navy ships in areas surrounding the self-governed island. Beijing asserts Taiwan as its own territory and has long expressed its intent to seize it, even if force is required, a stance that has heightened diplomatic and military tensions in the region.
Taiwan’s defence ministry has described the recent influx of Chinese warplanes as a “recent high,” raising serious security concerns in the Taiwan Strait and the surrounding region. While Beijing has yet to comment officially on these actions, Taipei’s defence ministry has condemned them.
Between September 17th and 18th, the Ministry of National Defence of Taiwan reported the detection of a total of 103 Chinese aircraft, including 40 that crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered the island’s southwest and southeast air defence identification zones (ADIZ).
Taiwan has called on China to halt these “destructive unilateral actions,” emphasising that Beijing’s ongoing military provocations could escalate tensions and worsen regional security. The island has witnessed a recent surge in such activities, with both warplanes and naval vessels from China encroaching on its territorial waters.
These developments come in the wake of heightened international attention on the Taiwan Strait. Last week, as two ships from the United States and Canada sailed through the strait, Beijing announced that its troops were on “high alert.” Taiwan’s defence ministry also reported an increase in the number of Chinese warplane and naval vessel incursions during that period.
Some of these Chinese aircraft and warships were heading to the Western Pacific for joint sea and air training with the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong. Japan’s defence ministry corroborated these movements, reporting the presence of the Shandong and several other ships in waters southeast of Taiwan.
Analysts suggest that China’s actions may be aimed at countering the influence of the United States and its allies in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly in response to a series of military exercises led by the U.S. China’s objectives appear to be both military and political, as it seeks to counter the containment efforts of democratic nations.
Taiwan’s increasing reports of warplane flights and military manoeuvres around the island have often coincided with high-level diplomatic interactions between Taiwan and the United States, suggesting that these actions may be intended to send a message to both Taiwan and its international partners.
