Taiwan Reports Sighting of 22 Chinese Military Aircraft and 20 Naval Vessels Following U.S.-Canada Naval Passage

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On Tuesday, Taiwan’s defense authorities reported the presence of 22 Chinese military aircraft and 20 naval vessels near its territorial waters within the past day, as Beijing intensifies its military operations in the vicinity.

This increased activity comes on the heels of a joint naval operation by the United States and Canada through the Taiwan Strait over the weekend. This move was widely interpreted as a rebuttal to China’s extensive territorial claims in the area. Subsequently, on Monday, China deployed a naval group, spearheaded by its aircraft carrier Shandong, approximately 70 miles (110 kilometers) southeast of Taiwan. According to reports from Chinese state media, the naval group was anticipated to engage in various simulated exercises, including aircraft, submarine, and warship operations as well as land attack maneuvers.

Taiwan’s defense ministry indicated that 13 of the Chinese military aircraft spotted on Tuesday had transgressed the median line in the Taiwan Strait. This line serves as an informal boundary between Taiwan and China.

China views Taiwan, a self-governing democratic entity, as a territory that it aims to reunify with—by force if deemed necessary. Over the last year, there has been a noticeable escalation in Beijing’s military activities surrounding Taiwan, manifested in almost daily dispatches of warships and aircraft.

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During a press conference, Maj. Gen. Huang Wen-Chi, the assistant deputy chief of the General Staff for Intelligence at Taiwan’s Defense Ministry, stated that the months from July to September marked a period of peak military exercises by the Chinese Communist Party. “There have been significant naval activities in the waters around the Taiwan Strait, in addition to a large number of warship operations in disparate regions of the South China Sea and the East China Sea,” he noted.

Maj. Gen. Huang further disclosed that Taiwan’s military will persist in closely monitoring the activities of Chinese military aircraft and naval vessels.

Last Saturday, the USS Ralph Johnson, an American warship, and the HMCS Ottawa, a Royal Canadian Navy’s Halifax-class frigate, transited through the Taiwan Strait. This operation coincided with the Group of 20 leaders’ summit held in New Delhi.

The United States maintains that its passage through the strait is executed under the banner of “freedom of navigation,” a claim that China regards as a provocative act.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Taiwan-China Military Tensions

More about Taiwan-China Military Tensions

• Taiwan Defense Ministry’s Official Statement
• Chinese State Media on Naval Drills
• U.S. Department of Defense on Freedom of Navigation Operations
• Group of 20 Leaders’ Summit Agenda
• Maj. Gen. Huang Wen-Chi’s Press Conference
• United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
• Taiwan-China Relations: Historical Background
• Canada’s Foreign Policy on Taiwan and China
• Taiwan’s Remaining International Allies
• U.S.-Taiwan Relations: An Overview
• South China Sea Tensions: An Analysis
• East China Sea: Geopolitical Importance