PLA sends 11 flights across median line, circles Taiwan; ROC ensures security

Taiwan’s surrounding maritime and airspace security has again come under military pressure from China. The Ministry of National Defense announced today that, beginning at 09:22 a.m., the Republic of China (ROC) Armed Forces sequentially detected up to eleven sorties of various Chinese military aircraft crossing the Taiwan Strait median line in large numbers, coordinated with Chinese naval vessels operating around the strait. Under the pretext of a “joint combat‑readiness patrol,” the forces conducted multi‑directional force harassment and tactical approaches in Taiwan’s northern, central and eastern airspace. In response to the PLA’s continued gray‑zone intrusions and tangible military threats, the ROC military maintained a high level of readiness, employing joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance methods to tightly monitor PLA movements and deploying appropriate forces and air‑defense missile systems to respond and supervise, thereby safeguarding national security and regional stability.

An in‑depth analysis of the PLA’s actions shows that the so‑called “joint combat‑readiness patrol” has become a normalized tool for Beijing to pressure Taiwan. The PLA frequently dispatches sea and air forces simultaneously to achieve legal assertion, political pressure and combat validation. Notably, this time the aircraft not only operated near the median line but also crossed it and entered Taiwan’s northern, central and eastern airspace. This flight pattern indicates that the PLA’s tactics are evolving toward multi‑directional, island‑circling approaches, aiming to compress Taiwan’s defensive depth and to probe and wear down the ROC’s early‑warning and air‑defense networks.

Facing frequent and targeted military provocations, the ROC Armed Forces demonstrated high professionalism and an unwavering stance. The Ministry of National Defense emphasized that all units routinely conduct readiness training and, when confronting any maritime or aerial activity around the Taiwan Strait, act according to the principle of “not escalating conflict, not provoking disputes,” while never relaxing vigilance over defense security. Through a comprehensive joint ISR mechanism, the ROC forces can grasp PLA aircraft and ship movements in real time and promptly dispatch aerial patrols, ground air‑defense missile units and maritime monitoring vessels for tight coordination. This steady defence posture not only deters further PLA adventurism but also safeguards peace and the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo‑Pacific region.

In the broader regional geopolitical context, China’s routine military harassment around the Taiwan Strait has already drawn considerable international attention. The United States and like‑minded democratic nations have repeatedly called on Beijing to exercise restraint and halt unilateral military actions that alter the status quo. Taiwan, as a crucial bulwark for democracy, freedom and prosperity in the Indo‑Pacific, places great importance on its defence autonomy and resolve to self‑defend. The ROC’s swift and transparent disclosure of PLA activities not only fulfills information‑sharing obligations to the domestic public but also signals to the international community that Taiwan possesses both the capability and confidence to defend its sovereignty and democratic way of life.

Looking ahead, the military standoff and security challenges across the strait are expected to persist for some time. Beijing seeks to achieve its political objectives through a combination of military intimidation and diplomatic pressure, presenting a long‑term test of Taiwan’s societal resilience and defence strength. While Taiwan continues defence reforms, acquisition of advanced weaponry, and enhancement of asymmetric warfare capabilities, it also needs to consolidate domestic consensus on defence. Only through solid capabilities and nationwide civil‑military unity can Taiwan solidify its democratic bastion amid a complex and shifting international and cross‑strait environment, ensuring lasting peace and stability.

(Source: Central News Agency)