Taiwan detects 11 Chinese military aircraft, 8 naval ships in its waters

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) has announced that it has detected 11 Chinese military aircraft and eight naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 am on Monday and 6 am on Tuesday, Taiwan News reported.

According to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence, of the 11 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, six crossed the Taiwan Strait median line, one entered the southwest sector of the nation’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ), and one helicopter was detected in the southeast ADIZ.

In response, Taiwan sent aircraft and naval ships and deployed air defence missile systems to monitor the PLA activity, as per Taiwan News.

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence disclosed in an official post on X, stating, “11 PLA aircraft and 8 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 8 of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s SW and eastern ADIZ.”

On April 15, the Taiwan Ministry released the information that 18 Chinese military aircraft and 6 naval vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 am.

11 of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s southwest sector of the nation’s air defence identification zone.

So far this month, Taiwan has tracked Chinese military aircraft 136 times and naval vessels 98 times. Since September 2020, China has increased its use of grey zone tactics by incrementally increasing the number of military aircraft and naval ships operating around Taiwan.

Grey zone tactics are defined as “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.”

Earlier on April 14, CNA Taiwan reported that Taiwan’s military is scheduled to establish a new combatant command in 2026, tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters extending 24 nautical miles from the country’s shoreline. Quoting a source familiar with the matter CNA reported that the new command, listed under the Naval Command Headquarters, will be headed by a vice admiral and bring together existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance & Reconnaissance Command.

It could be officially launched as early as 2026, but more details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced.