Taiwan Reports 13 Chinese Air Sorties, Seven Vessels Operating Near Its Territory
Seven aircraft crossed median line into southwestern ADIZ amid rising China-Japan tensions
Taipei, Nov 18: Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) reported the presence of 13 Chinese aircraft sorties, seven naval vessels, and one official ship operating around its territorial waters as of 6 a.m. local time on Tuesday. Of the 13 aircraft sorties, seven crossed the median line into Taiwan’s southwestern Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ).
In a post on X, the MND said, “13 sorties of PLA aircraft, 7 PLAN vessels, and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. Seven out of 13 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded.”
The previous day, Taiwan had detected eight Chinese military aircraft, eight naval vessels, and two official ships, with two sorties entering the southwestern and southeastern ADIZ.
Taiwan’s Presidential Office accused China of deliberately stoking tensions with Japan. Hours earlier, China’s Maritime Safety Administration had announced live-fire missile exercises in the central Yellow Sea from Tuesday through Thursday. In addition, China issued a travel warning for its nationals in Japan, widely seen as retaliation for remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who warned that a Chinese naval blockade of Taiwan could constitute a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan, potentially triggering its self-defence mechanisms.
The MND confirmed that Taiwan continues to monitor Chinese military activities closely and has taken necessary responses to safeguard its airspace and territorial waters.
