Taiwan detects 30 Chinese military aircraft near island

ISTANBUL

Taiwan said on Tuesday it tracked 30 Chinese military aircraft and nine ships around the island.

In a statement, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said it detected 28 sorties of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft operating near Taiwan.

It added that “21 of the 28 sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zone (ADIZ).”

Taiwanese armed forces “monitored the situation and responded accordingly,” the statement added, in a post on the US social media platform X.

In an earlier morning statement, the ministry said it had also detected two PLA aircraft, eight People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels and one official ship operating around Taiwan.

There was no immediate reaction from China.

China views Taiwan as a “breakaway province,” despite Taipei governing itself since 1949. Beijing has vowed to reunify the island, including by force if necessary.