Taipei [Taiwan], March 18 : Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense detected the presence of 36 Chinese military aircraft, eight naval vessels and an official ship operating around its territorial waters as of 6 am (local time) on Wednesday.
Of the 36, 24 crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, central, southwestern and eastern ADIZ.
In a post on X, the MND said, "36 PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 24 out of 36 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, central, southwestern and eastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded."
36 PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 24 out of 36 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded. pic.twitter.com/NVH2TJKDGy— 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, ROC(Taiwan) 🇹🇼 (@MoNDefense) March 18, 2026
Earlier on Tuesday, Taiwan detected the presence of 28 sorties of Chinese military aircraft as of 08:01 am (local time). Of the 28, 21 crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered the northern, central, southwestern and eastern part ADIZ.
In a post on X, the MND said, "Overall 28 sorties of PLA aircraft in various types (including J-10, J-16, KJ-500, etc.) detected from 0801hr today. 21 out of 28 sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered the northern, central, southwestern and eastern part ADIZ in conducting air-sea joint training along with other PLAN vessels. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and responded accordingly."
}}}}Overall 28 sorties of #PLA aircraft in various types (including J-10, J-16, KJ-500, etc.) detected from 0801hr today. 21 out of 28 sorties crossed the median line of the #Taiwan Strait and entered the northern, central, southwestern and eastern part ADIZ— 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, ROC(Taiwan) 🇹🇼 (@MoNDefense) March 17, 2026
China's claim over Taiwan is a complex issue rooted in historical, political, and legal arguments. Beijing asserts that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China, a viewpoint embedded in national policy and upheld by domestic laws and international statements.
Taiwan, however, maintains a distinct identity, functioning independently with its own government, military, and economy. Taiwan's status remains a significant point of international debate, testing the principles of sovereignty, self-determination, and non-interference in international law, as per the United Service Institution of India.
China's claim to Taiwan originates from the Qing Dynasty's annexation of the island in 1683 after defeating Ming loyalist Koxinga. However, Taiwan remained a peripheral region under limited Qing control. The key shift came in 1895, when the Qing ceded Taiwan to Japan after the First Sino-Japanese War, marking Taiwan as a Japanese colony for 50 years. After Japan's defeat in World War II, Taiwan was returned to Chinese control, but the sovereignty transfer was not formalised.
In 1949, the Chinese Civil War resulted in the establishment of the People's Republic of China (PRC) on the mainland, while the Republic of China (ROC) retreated to Taiwan, asserting its claim to govern all of China. This led to dual sovereignty claims: the PRC over the mainland and the ROC over Taiwan. Taiwan has operated as a de facto independent state but has avoided declaring formal independence to prevent military conflict with the PRC, United Service Institution of India states.
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