The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) likely increased incursions into waters and airspace around Taiwan last week to normalize its military activities in the region and demonstrate its capabilities ahead of next month’s China Victory Day Parade, experts said on Saturday.
Sixty-three Chinese incursions into waters and airspace around Taiwan were detected in the 24 hours to 6am Friday, with 38 craft crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entering the nation’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones, the Ministry of National Defense said.
From 6am on Friday to 6am on Saturday, 54 PLA warplanes or drones were detected, with 47 flights crossing the median line of the Strait and entering Taiwan’s northern and southwestern airspace, ministry data showed.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of National Defense
Additionally, six warships and two other vessels also engaged in such “gray zone” activities in the Strait over the same period, it showed.
Lin Ying-yu (林穎佑), an associate professor of international affairs and strategic studies at Tamkang University, said that the PLA’s joint combat readiness patrols last week were part of normalizing military drills against Taiwan.
Such joint maritime and aerial drills, which are part of preparations to blockade Taiwan, are designed to make Taiwanese feel the constant presence of Chinese military aircraft and vessels, Lin said.
The deployment of Chinese warplanes presented in defense ministry data showed that the PLA attempted to surround Taiwan from all sides, he added.
Although China would likely continue pressuring Taiwan with combat readiness drills leading up to the Sept. 3 parade in Beijing to mark 80 years since the surrender of Japanese forces in World War II, the PLA would probably not hold large-scale drills such as the “Strait Thunder” or “Joint Sword” military exercises, he said.
China has in the past few years normalized its military harassment of Taiwan that regularly places the country under maximum pressure, Taiwan Security Association deputy secretary-general Ho Cheng-hui (何澄輝) said.
It is also probably trying to maintain a dominant presence by showing its “military muscles” ahead of important political rallies — such as the parade — to stabilize its internal political situation, Ho said.
Given that Washington continues to monitor the cross-strait situation, Beijing would not on its own initiative escalate tensions, but would instead focus on “gray zone” tactics, he said.
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