Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) reported on Wednesday morning that it had detected 11 sorties of Chinese aircraft and 10 Chinese vessels operating around the island. The military activity occurred up until 6 a.m. local time (UTC+8), with 6 out of 13 sorties crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait, entering Taiwan’s northern and southwestern Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).
In a post shared on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Taiwan’s MND confirmed that it has been monitoring the situation closely and responding accordingly. “13 sorties of PLA aircraft and 10 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 6 out of 13 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern and southwestern ADIZ,” the post read.
Earlier on Tuesday, Taiwan had observed 59 sorties by PLA aircraft and 9 PLAN vessels, along with 2 Chinese balloons operating around Taiwan. The MND reported that 43 out of 59 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern, and eastern ADIZ, indicating a sharp uptick in military activity.
US Lawmakers Push for Stronger Taiwan Support Amid Growing Tensions
This heightened military activity follows increased political support for Taiwan from the United States. On March 16, a group of US House of Representatives lawmakers introduced legislation that would replace the term “Chinese Taipei” with “Taiwan” across all federal agencies, signalling growing support for the self-governed island.
The proposed bill, known as the “America Supports Taiwan Act”, would mandate the use of “Taiwan” in official federal communications, replacing the term “Chinese Taipei”, which has been used in certain contexts, such as in the International Olympic Committee. The bill’s sponsors, including US Representative Byron Donalds, along with co-sponsors Mike Collins, Barry Moore, and Tom Tiffany, argue that it would strengthen US support for Taiwan against Chinese coercion and aggression.
The push to replace “Chinese Taipei” with “Taiwan” reflects ongoing tensions between Taiwan and China, with Beijing asserting its claim over Taiwan and increasing military pressure on the island. The US has generally refrained from using “Chinese Taipei” but has supported Taiwan’s sovereignty through unofficial channels. This legislative move is seen as an effort to bolster the US’s position in defending Taiwan’s sovereignty amid rising Chinese aggression.