Beijing Accused of Raising Regional Tensions After Yellow Sea Live-Fire Announcement
Taipei, Taiwan (ATP): Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) reported a significant display of Chinese military activity early today, detecting 29 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft and seven People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels operating around its vicinity.
According to reports, Critically, seventeen of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s northern, central, and southwestern Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). The median line is an unofficial but historically respected buffer between the two sides. The MND stated that its armed forces monitored the situation closely and responded as required.
This incident follows a similar, large-scale operation the previous day, when Taiwan detected 24 Chinese sorties, with 16 of those crossing the median line as part of air-sea joint training alongside other PLAN vessels.
Separately, Taiwan’s Presidential Office accused Beijing of deliberately escalating regional tensions with Japan for political gain. This accusation came hours after Chinese maritime authorities announced plans to conduct live-fire missile exercises in the Yellow Sea from Tuesday through Thursday. The move is widely seen as a response to comments from Japanese officials regarding potential intervention in a Taiwan conflict.
The near-daily incursions and military maneuvers underscore the persistently high tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
