Taipei [Taiwan], October 12 : Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) detected 16 Chinese military aircraft, eight Chinese naval vessels and one official ship around its territorial waters as of 6am (local time) on Sunday.
The MND stated that of the 16 aircraft, 13 crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, southwestern and eastern ADIZ.
In a post on X, the MND said, "16 PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 13 out of 16 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, southwestern and eastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded."
https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1977177965055345143
Earlier on Saturday, the MND detected eight military vessels and one official ship. Of the seven sorties, three crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern ADIZ.
In a post on X, the MND said, "7 sorties of PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 3 out of 7 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded."
https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1976831403540275572
Meanwhile, a leading Taiwanese defence analyst has rejected the notion that China could effectively blockade Taiwan with only a handful of submarines, arguing that such a military manoeuvre is both logistically and strategically implausible, as reported by Taipei Times.
According to Taipei Times, a seminar hosted by the Institute of International Relations at National Chengchi University, Alexander Huang, a strategic studies scholar at Tamkang University, challenged the claim made by China affairs expert Willy Lam.
Lam, a senior fellow at The Jamestown Foundation, had stated at a symposium in Washington that China could impose a naval blockade around Taiwan simply by deploying four or five submarines.
Huang questioned the sustainability of such a blockade, emphasising that even nuclear-powered submarines have operational limitations. "A nuclear submarine can stay submerged for extended periods, but the crew still needs food, rest, and rotation. No vessel can maintain its position forever," he said.
Huang further warned that a blockade, if attempted, would expose Chinese submarines to severe risks. "It's not only about sustaining the blockade, but also about whether those submarines could return safely. Other nations' naval forces could easily obstruct their path back to Chinese ports," he noted, adding that Taiwan has the capability to strike back if necessary.
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