Taipei [Taiwan], July 19 : Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence has stated that it detected 18 sorties of Chinese aircraft, eight Chinese naval vessels and one official ship around its territorial waters as of 6 am (local time) on Saturday.
Of the 18 sorties, 15 crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, central, southwestern and eastern ADIZ (Air Defence Identification Zone).
"18 sorties of PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 15 out of 18 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's central and southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded," the Taiwanese MND stated in a post on X.
https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1946374430759739496
Earlier on Friday, the MND detected 11 Chinese aircraft, 10 Chinese naval vessels and one official ship around its territorial waters as of 6 am (local time).
Of the 11 sorties, seven crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, central, southwestern and eastern ADIZ (Air Defence Identification Zone).
"11 PLA aircraft, 10 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 7 out of 11 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, central and southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded,' the MND stated in a post on X.
https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1946012048611328225
Meanwhile, on the same day, Taiwan's Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim reaffirmed its government's firm commitment to national security and regional stability amid rising Chinese threats and escalating geopolitical tensions, as reported by Focus Taiwan.
Speaking at a high-profile gathering of foreign correspondents and de facto embassy representatives in Taipei, Hsiao emphasised that Taiwan continues to navigate one of the world's most contested geopolitical environments.
"Taiwan doesn't live in a vacuum," she said. "We operate at the centre of one of the world's most dynamic and contested geopolitical environments," Focus Taiwan quoted her as saying.
Hsiao noted that China's pressure on Taiwan, through military escalations, grey-zone operations, and economic coercion, has intensified since President Lai Ching-te assumed office in May 2024. She described Beijing's tactics as aggressive and counterproductive, warning that efforts to infiltrate and divide Taiwanese society undermine the very status quo China claims to oppose.
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