Air Force
Taiwan: 14 Chinese aircraft detected, 12 crossing the median line, in a new “joint combat readiness patrol”
Taiwan's defence ministry says 14 Chinese aircraft and drones went out to sea on 4 November, 12 of them crossing the median line, in a so-called joint combat readiness patrol.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said on 4 November 2026 that it had detected 14 Chinese military aircraft and drones going out to sea from 11:08 local time, 12 of them crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait and its extension, in what the ministry called a so-called “joint combat readiness patrol”. The ministry’s statement was issued at 17:10.
According to the ministry, the aircraft were J-10, J-11 and J-16 fighters, KJ-500 airborne early warning aircraft, Y-20 tankers and drones. They entered Taiwan’s northern, central and south-western air space, operating together with Chinese Navy vessels, and the ministry described the activity as harassment of the island’s surrounding air and sea space.
Taiwan’s response
The ministry said the armed forces followed the movements closely with joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance means, and sent aircraft, ships and shore-based missile systems to respond “appropriately”. It gave no figure for the Chinese ships involved in its statement, and the aircraft count it published covers the period from 11:08 only.
A recurring pattern
The ministry uses the term for coordinated Chinese aircraft and ship activity around the island. Geopolitiki has reported the previous one on 2 November, when the ministry counted 22 aircraft with 18 of them crossing the line: Taiwan reports 22 Chinese military aircraft, 18 crossing the median line, in another “joint combat readiness patrol”. Today’s figure of 14 aircraft is lower, but the share crossing the line, 12 of 14, is again high.
Geopolitiki also reported earlier on Taiwan’s account of Chinese naval pressure further out: Taiwan: more than 100 Chinese warships and coast guard vessels in the Western Pacific; “we will not bow to any pressure”.
The ministry publishes its daily count of Chinese aircraft and ships on its website, and a fuller daily report for 4 November was not yet available in the material read for this article.