Taiwan's defence ministry reported a significant increase in Chinese military aircraft near the island on Saturday, following a period of reduced activity that had puzzled observers. The ministry detected 26 Chinese military aircraft, with 16 entering Taiwan's northern, central, and southwestern Air Defense Identification Zone. Additionally, seven naval vessels were spotted in the vicinity.
The surge comes after a notable drop in flights over the previous two weeks. From February 27 to March 5, no Chinese military planes crossed the median line into Taiwan's zone. After two were detected on March 6, the next four days saw none. Small numbers resumed between Wednesday and Friday.
The lull coincided with China's annual legislative meeting, but analysts suggested other factors were at play. Some pointed to a possible desire to ease tensions with Washington ahead of US President Donald Trump's planned visit to China from March 31 to April 2. Others speculated that China's military might be shifting to a new phase of training and modernisation, exploring joint training models.
China has repeatedly vowed to unify Taiwan, by force if necessary, and has maintained near-daily military flights and naval patrols near the island in recent years. Taiwan's defence minister, Wellington Koo, noted that despite the drop in flights, China's navy remained active in nearby waters, and Taiwan's defence posture remained unchanged.
