Taiwan detects chinese military aircraft, naval vessels near borders

Taiwan reported the detection of seven Chinese military aircraft, five naval ships, and a balloon near its borders, according to Taiwan News.

The Ministry of National Defence of Taiwan informed that seven fighter planes from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) were observed in the Taiwan Strait. However, there was no indication of any breach into the air defence identification zone (ADIZ) or crossing the median line.

Responding to the situation, Taiwan scrambled combat patrol planes, launched navy ships, and deployed land-based air defence missile systems, as reported by Taiwan News. The Ministry assured that they were closely monitoring the situation through their intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance apparatus.

Additionally, a Chinese balloon was spotted in the ADIZ at 1:41 am on Friday, 144 km northwest of Keelung City, flying at a height of 6,096 meters. The balloon traveled eastward, disappearing around 2:33 am on Friday, just after leaving the ADIZ's northern section.

In February alone, Taiwan has identified 123 Chinese military planes and 77 naval vessels. Since September 2020, Beijing has increasingly utilized "grey zone tactics," involving military aircraft and naval vessels crossing into Taiwan's ADIZ and the middle line.