Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense reported an intense surge of military activity from China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) over a 24-hour period spanning from 05:00 on October 14 to 06:00 local time on October 15, 2024.
A total of 153 PLAAF aircraft and 14 PLA Navy (PLAN) vessels were detected operating near Taiwan, raising concerns of escalating tensions in the region.
The ministry confirmed that 111 of these aircraft violated Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) by crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait and flying in Taiwan’s western, southwestern, and eastern ADIZ. Taiwan’s Armed Forces responded by deploying Combat Air Patrol (CAP) aircraft, Navy vessels, and coastal missile defense systems to monitor the situation and ensure the island’s security.
The Ministry of National Defense said it “expressed strong condemnation for such irrational and provocative behavior, and has dispatched appropriate troops to respond,” in a statement following China’s announcement of drills around the Taiwan Strait.
The Ministry of National Defense released video footage captured by a ROCAF F-16 equipped with a SNIPER pod, a targeting system used for aerial surveillance and engagement, showing a Chinese J-15 fighter jet in flight.
This recent surge in PLA activities follows a pattern of increased military maneuvers around Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory.
These latest exercises, codenamed Joint Sword-2024B, were announced by the PLA’s Eastern Command as a means to send “serious warnings” to what they referred to as “separatist actions by Taiwan independence forces.” According to the PLA, the drills focused on “sea-air combat readiness patrols, blockade of ports and key areas, and assaults on sea and land targets.”
China has consistently stepped up its military activities around Taiwan, especially following the island’s efforts to bolster international support.