Taipei — Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense reported detecting 12 sorties of Chinese military aircraft, six naval vessels and two official ships operating near its territorial waters up to 6 a.m. local time on Friday. The ministry said 10 of the 12 aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ) in the north, southwest and east. Taiwan’s armed forces monitored the movements and issued responses as required.
The ministry posted the information on its X account, saying the drills and patrols were being tracked closely. It added that Taiwan’s forces remained on alert and took appropriate defensive measures.
The announcement followed a similar report on Thursday, when the MND logged 22 Chinese aircraft sorties, six naval vessels and one official ship near Taiwan. Of those 22 sorties, 18 crossed the median line and penetrated ADIZ sectors to the north, centre, southwest and east, prompting monitoring and responses by Taiwan’s military.
Beijing regards Taiwan as part of China and bases that claim on historical, legal and political arguments. The Chinese government’s position is reflected in its laws and official statements asserting sovereignty over the island.
Taiwan, in contrast, operates with its own government, military and economy and maintains a distinct political identity. Its status remains contentious internationally, involving debates over sovereignty, self-determination and non-interference.
The historical background to the dispute stretches back centuries. China’s claim traces to the Qing dynasty’s control of Taiwan after 1683, though the island remained relatively peripheral under Qing rule. In 1895, the Qing ceded Taiwan to Japan after the First Sino-Japanese War, and Taiwan remained a Japanese colony for five decades. Following Japan’s defeat in World War II, control of Taiwan was transferred to Chinese authorities, but the sovereignty settlement was not fully formalised.
After the 1949 Chinese civil war, the People’s Republic of China was established on the mainland while the Republic of China government relocated to Taiwan, each maintaining competing sovereignty claims. Since then, Taiwan has functioned as a de facto independent polity while generally avoiding a formal declaration of independence to reduce the risk of armed conflict with the PRC.
The reports were issued by Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense and were carried by news agencies covering regional security developments. This article is based on those official statements and syndicated reporting.
