TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 26 Chinese military aircraft and seven naval ships around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Wednesday (April 12) and 6 a.m. on Thursday (April 13).

Of the 26 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, 14 crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the country’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND. Six Suhkoi Su-30 fighter jets crossed the median line in the northeast sector of the ADIZ, while six Shenyang J-16 fighter jets crossed it in the central and southern portions of the zone.

Meanwhile, two Chengdu J-10 jet fighters crossed the median line in the southwest corner of Taiwan’s identification zone.

In response, Taiwan sent aircraft, naval ships, and used land-based missiles to monitor the PLA aircraft and vessels.

So far this month, Beijing has sent 376 military aircraft and 73 naval vessels around Taiwan. China recently carried out large-scale military drills directed at Taiwan over three days between April 8 – 10 in response to President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California last week.



Flight paths of 14 out of 26 PLA aircraft. (MND image)