Taiwan MND: 5 Chinese aircraft sorties, 3 crossing the median line, and 6 PLA Navy ships around the island on 19 October

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) said on 19 October that it detected five sorties by aircraft of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), six PLA Navy ships and nine “official ships” operating around the island in the 24 hours to 6 a.m. that day, Taiwan time.

According to the ministry’s daily report, which covers the period from 6 a.m. on 18 October, three of the five aircraft sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ) in the northern, central and southwestern sectors. The ministry said Taiwan’s armed forces monitored the situation and responded with combat air patrol aircraft, navy ships and coastal missile systems.

The figures are higher than in the previous report. For the 24 hours to 6 a.m. on 18 October, the MND counted two aircraft sorties, both of which crossed the median line, together with five PLA Navy ships and nine official ships. Geopolitiki covered that report here: Taiwan MND: 2 Chinese aircraft sorties, both crossing the median line, and 5 PLA Navy ships around the island on 18 October.

The numbers are Taiwan’s own account of the activity. The report carries no comment from Beijing on the movements and does not say what the aircraft or ships were doing. The MND publishes the counts every day under the heading “PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan”, with maps of the air activity and of the maritime picture attached.

The daily report sits alongside other recent Taiwanese accounts of Chinese activity near the island. On 18 October Taiwan’s Coast Guard said it had driven away 16 Chinese vessels at several points, a development Geopolitiki reported here: Taiwan: Coast Guard drove away 16 Chinese vessels at “multiple points” – research ships in restricted waters, patrols around Pratas.

The original report is on the Taiwan MND website.