Taiwan detects 16 Chinese aircraft, 9 vessels near its territory
Jul 14, 2024
Taipei [Taiwan], July 14 : Taiwan tracked 16 Chinese aircraft and nine vessels operating around its territory till Sunday 6 am (local time).
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) said that 14 aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's southwestern, and southeastern Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ).
"16 PLA aircraft and 9 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 14 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's southwestern, and southeastern ADIZ. We've monitored the situation and responded accordingly," Taiwan's MND posted on social media platform X.
https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1812291300567519732
So far in July, Taiwan's MND has detected Chinese over 300 military aircraft and around 100 naval ships. Since September 2020, China has intensified its use of gray zone tactics by increasing the number of military aircraft and naval vessels operating around Taiwan.
According to a Taiwan News report, gray zone tactics are "an effort or series of efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and assurance that attempts to achieve one's security objectives without resort to direct and sizable use of force."
This latest incident adds to a series of similar provocations by China in recent months. Beijing has increased its military activities around Taiwan, including regular air and naval incursions into Taiwan's Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) and military exercises near the island.
Taiwan has been governed independently of China since 1949. However, Beijing considers the island as part of its territory and insists on its eventual reunification, by force if necessary.
Last week, Taiwan's Coast Guard shadowed four China Coast Guard vessels that entered Taiwan-controlled waters around offshore Kinmen County, Central News Agency (CNA) reported.
In a statement, Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said that four Chinese vessels approached the outer boundary of "restricted" waters around Kinmen and intruded into Taiwan-controlled waters at 7 am (local time) from four different points to the east and southeast of Liaoluo Bay, the south of Zhaishan, and the south of Fengzui.
It was China Coast Guard vessels' first intrusion in July and 31st in 2024, according to Taiwan's CGA. Taiwan's CGA sent four ships to shadow the intruders and broadcast warnings, the statement said, according to the CNA report.
The Chinese ships left the restricted waters at 9 am (local time) and re-entered at 10 am (local time) when Taiwan's Coast Guard again dispatched four vessels following Beijing's action. Later, Chinese vessels left Taiwan-controlled waters between 12 pm (local time) to 1 pm (local time).
Taiwan's CGA said that the China Coast Guard's actions undermined maritime safety and did not help cross-strait exchanges. The CGA stated that it will continue to uphold Taiwan's rights in the sea.
