China Sends Almost 80 Fighters, Bombers, Warships Toward Taiwan

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China sent several large formations of combat aircraft toward Taiwan on Tuesday and Wednesday, accompanied by nine surface vessels. 55 of the Chinese warplanes crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, which until recently was regarded as an unofficial border that minimized the risks of escalation.

China openly stated in April that it would no longer respect the median line and has sent warplanes past it on several occasions since then.

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said 38 Chinese warplanes and nine naval vessels approached Taiwan between 6:00 a.m. Tuesday and 6:00 a.m. Wednesday. A second incursion of 30 warplanes occurred later on Wednesday.

During one of the incursions, four nuclear-capable Chinese H-6 bombers flew far to the south of Taiwan before looping back around to China, a maneuver intended to demonstrate the bombers have plenty of range to conduct heavy strikes against Taiwan from bases on China’s southern coast.

Jet fighters involved in the mission included the Shenyang J-16, one of the PLA’s most advanced models.

China said its ships and planes were conducting “joint sea and air training” near Taiwan, and some of its surface vessels were running “combat readiness patrols.” The Chinese government offered no further comment about its provocative actions.

The Taiwanese military said it “kept a close watch” on China’s ships and planes, using “shore-mounted missile systems to closely monitor and deal with them.”

China’s latest flights across the Taiwan Strait might have been a peevish response to the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, issuing a communique that said China’s “stated ambitions and coercive policies challenge our interests, security, and values.” The communique, which was largely concerned with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, did not explicitly mention Taiwan.

China may also have been reacting to Vice President Lai Ching-te, a leading candidate to replace current President Tsai Ing-wen in January’s elections when her second and final term expires, saying on Tuesday that Taiwan’s leader should be able to visit the U.S. White House, just as Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol have done.

China is enraged by any such demonstration of support for the legitimacy of the Taiwanese government. The PLA conducted aggressive military drills off the Taiwanese coast in April to express its displeasure after Tsai met with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), and in August 2022 after then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) visited Taiwan.

Taiwan is preparing to hold its own annual Han Kuang military exercises, beginning on July 24, which could also have irritated China. 

This year’s 39th annual Han Kuang event will include live-fire drills, simulated “maritime interceptions” of invading Chinese ships, using civilian airports to launch warplanes, disguising ground forces to protect them against Chinese strikes, and breaking Chinese blockades. Taiwanese defense officials have been coy about whether the drill will include simulated strikes against China’s combat-ready aircraft carrier, the Shandong. The Shandong carrier strike group passed through the Taiwan Strait in late June.