PLA warplanes cross Taiwan Strait median line for joint combat patrols

The Ministry of National Defense released the latest updates on Chinese military activities today, pointing out that starting at 8:45 a.m., the military detected a total of 15 sorties of Chinese military aircraft successively flying out to sea. These aircraft not only crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait—long serving as an unspokentacit boundary between the two sides of the strait—but further intruded into Taiwan's southwestern and central airspace. According to intelligence grasped by the military, this operation by the Chinese military aircraft was not a simple air patrol, but was deliberately coordinated with Chinese warships in surrounding waters under the guise of so-called "joint combat readiness patrols" to conduct high-intensity harassment and pressure against the sea and air space surrounding Taiwan. Facing such provocative moves by the Chinese military combining naval and air forces, the Ministry of National Defense emphasized that the military utilized joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance means throughout the entire process to closely grasp the dynamics of the Chinese military, while dispatching appropriate forces and land-based missile systems for strict monitoring and a proper response.

This incident once again highlights the grim and tense security situation surrounding the Taiwan Strait. In recent years, China has continuously dispatched military aircraft and warships to conduct routine harassment around the Taiwan Strait, attempting to gradually deplete Taiwan's defense resources through such "gray-zone tactics" while seeking to negate the existence of the median line of the Taiwan Strait, thereby carrying out psychological warfare and cognitive warfare. The so-called "joint combat readiness patrol" is a term frequently used by the Chinese military in recent years to package its expansionist military operations. Through the coordinated exercises of naval and air forces, it is not only a military deterrent imposed on Taiwan, but also a demonstration to the international community of its ambition to unilaterally change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, posing a substantial threat to regional peace and stability.

From a geographical and strategic perspective, the latest crossing of the median line and intrusion into Taiwan's southwestern and central airspace by Chinese military aircraft carries high military significance. Taiwan's southwestern airspace has long been a frequent hotspot for Chinese military aircraft and vessels, adjacent to the Bashi Channel, an important international waterway and strategic chokepoint, while the central airspace directly corresponds to the hinterland of the main island of Taiwan. The activities of Chinese military aircraft in these areas, in addition to penetrating and testing Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone, directly create substantial pressure on Taiwan's air defense security. Facing such normalized challenges fraught with peril, military units at all levels must maintain a high degree of vigilance, be ready to respond to emergencies at any time, and ensure national security and territorial airspace integrity.

Faced with the frequent and irrational military harassment by China, Taiwan's defense strategy has always adhered to the principles of "preparing for war without seeking war, and avoiding war without fearing war." In recent years, the military has actively promoted national defense autonomy and asymmetric warfare capabilities, not only strengthening the modernization of weapons and equipment, but also enhancing the joint combat effectiveness and response capabilities of the tri-service forces through realistic training such as the Han Kuang exercises. When facing the joint combat readiness patrols of the Chinese military, the real-time monitoring and timely response by the military not only demonstrate the determination for self-defense, but also convey a clear signal to both domestic and international audiences that Taiwan has the capability to safeguard its democratic and free system, ensuring that regional security in the Taiwan Strait does not spiral out of control due to China's unilateral provocations.

Looking at the current international and regional situation, the security of the Taiwan Strait is long no longer merely a cross-strait issue, but a core issue affecting the stability of the Indo-Pacific region and the security of global supply chains. China's continued conduct of joint naval and air combat readiness patrols around the Taiwan Strait not only disrupts the peaceful status quo of the strait, but also triggers high concern from the United States and like-minded democratic countries. As an important force in maintaining regional peace, Taiwan will continue to strengthen its own defense resilience while maintaining close cooperation with the international community to jointly oppose any behavior attempting to change the status quo through force or coercion. The military will continue to uphold the conviction of standing fast at its posts and defending the nation's soil, comprehensively safeguarding national sovereignty and the security and well-being of the people.