A Taiwanese fighter jet.Image: keystone
December 17, 2025, 11:44Dec 17, 2025, 11:56
Taiwan has seen a record number of Chinese military aircraft flying around the East Asian island nation.
Up to and including December 15, 3,570 aircraft of various types had entered the Taiwan area this year, compared to 3,070 in all of 2024, the National Security Bureau (NSB) reported in the Taiwanese Parliament in Taipei.
This did not include nine People’s Liberation Army aircraft that operated around Taiwan in the 24 hours ending at 6 a.m. (local time) on December 17. According to the Defense Ministry, five of them penetrated the so-called air defense identification zone – not to be confused with airspace.
Taiwan’s military also observed the first passage of Beijing’s new aircraft carrier “Fujian” through the strait between China and Taiwan (Taiwan Strait) since it was put into service.
China is testing responsiveness
The report underscored the heightened tension in the Taiwan Strait and east and south of the island republic, which Beijing claims and wants to bind to the People’s Republic of China. NSB Director Tsai Ming-yen referred in Parliament to 39 “joint combat patrols” by Chinese naval ships. These should examine the alarm and reaction patterns in the Taiwan Strait.
The Defense Ministry also said Beijing has never renounced the use of military force to annex Taiwan and continues to conduct military exercises in the Taiwan Strait, East China Sea and Western Pacific to test the defense capabilities of Japanese and Taiwanese forces. (sda/dpa)