Chinese military planes and ships surrounded Taiwan on Wednesday during a drill, with some of the aircraft crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday.
In total, 35 Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft and six warships were detected around the nation during China’s “joint combat readiness patrols,” the ministry said.
A flight map released by the ministry showed that 12 of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, while 15 entered the northern, southwestern and eastern parts of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ).
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of National Defense
The 12 aircraft that crossed the median line included two drones, which flew along Taiwan’s east coast before circling back, and one “support aircraft” that was flying off the main island’s southeastern shoreline.
Meanwhile, six PLA vessels were detected in waters near Taiwan in the 24-hour period starting at 6am on Wednesday, the ministry said.
The incursions took place between 12:03pm and 9:57pm, information released by the ministry showed.
On the question of what may have prompted the incursions, Association of Strategic Foresight research fellow Chieh Chung (揭仲) said he did not think it resulted from the presence of the Taiwan delegation on the sidelines of US President Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday.
The Taiwanese delegation received the same level of hospitality as during the inauguration of previous US presidents, Chieh said.
Chieh was referring to the seating arranged for Taiwan’s delegation members, which were at nearby locations rather than the Capitol Rotunda where the ceremony was held and where seats were reserved for US big tech and business moguls, senior US politicians and other world leaders.
Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) — who led the delegation — said he and Representative to the US Alexander Yui (俞大?) joined other guests at the Capitol Visitor Center, called Emancipation Hall, to watch the swearing-in on a large screen.
Other members — seven cross-party lawmakers — watched a livestream in a VIP area of the Capital One Arena, just over a mile from the Capitol Building, Han said.
Furthermore, whenever China is aiming to send a political message by means of military activity, its actions usually include some form of propaganda, Chieh said, adding that there was none of that on Wednesday.
For example, the two “Joint Sword” exercises the PLA staged around Taiwan last year were accompanied by online videos of Chinese fighter jets and warships, as well as statements by Chinese officials released through Chinese state-controlled media shortly after the drills began, he said.
The lack of such propaganda on Wednesday suggests that the drill was routine, Chieh said.
The PLA has routinely staged three to five “Joint Combat Readiness Patrols” per month since February last year, he added.
Lin Ying-yu (林穎佑), an assistant professor at Tamkang University’s Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies, agreed that Wednesday’s drill was routine and not linked to the Taiwan delegation’s visit to the US.
There were no surprises during the Taiwan delegation’s visit to Washington for Trump’s inauguration, Lin said.
The PLA last staged an exercise on a similar scale on Jan. 14, when 14 of the 24 PLA aircraft detected in Taiwan’s ADIZ crossed the median line of the Strait during a joint combat readiness patrol.
During another drill a week earlier, 14 of the 25 PLA planes detected in the same area crossed the median line.
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday announced a ban on all current and former government officials from traveling to China to attend a military parade on Sept. 3, which Beijing is to hold to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War. "This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the Republic of China’s victory in the War of Resistance [Against Japan]," MAC Deputy Minister and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) told a regular news briefing in Taipei. To prevent Beijing from using the Sept. 3 military parade and related events for "united
RSS