Taipei [Taiwan], July 12: Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) reported the detection of 14 Chinese military aircraft, nine naval vessels, and one official ship operating near its territory as of 6 am local time on Saturday.
The MND confirmed that nine out of the 14 aircraft sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered the island’s northern and eastern Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ). In response, Taiwan scrambled its own aircraft, deployed naval ships, and activated coastal missile systems to monitor and respond to the situation.
In a post on X, Taiwan’s MND stated, “14 sorties of PLA aircraft, 9 PLAN vessels, and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today… We have monitored the situation and responded.”
This latest military activity comes amid escalating tensions between Taipei and Beijing. On June 28, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te warned of China’s growing “influence warfare” and military intimidation, asserting that Beijing’s actions aim to annex Taiwan as part of its “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” policy and expand its dominance in the western Pacific.
Speaking at the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) national congress, Lai criticized the opposition-controlled legislature for passing unconstitutional bills and drastically slashing central government budgets, thereby weakening Taiwan’s governance.
Under the theme “Better democracy, better Taiwan,” Lai rallied the DPP and civil society to resist external threats and internal sabotage, recalling pivotal protest movements like Wild Lily (1990) and the Sunflower Movement (2014)—both seen as major milestones in Taiwan’s democratic development and resistance to Chinese influence.