Taiwan dispatched naval vessels and fighter aircraft to monitor a second Chinese 'joint combat readiness patrol' near the island within a week, as Taipei heightened vigilance over Beijing's military activities. China has intensified its military presence around Taiwan, and Taipei remains on high alert for further actions after President Xi Jinping discussed the island dispute with U.S. President Donald Trump in Beijing earlier this month.
Chinese Aircraft and Warships Detected
Late on Monday, Taiwan's defence ministry reported detecting 21 Chinese aircraft, including J-16 fighter jets and drones, operating around the island, alongside multiple warships conducting a 'joint combat readiness patrol'. China's defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Taiwan's defence ministry released three images captured by its forces: one from an F-16 jet showing two Chinese fighters trailing a Y-20 refuelling aircraft, another of the Chinese warship Yinchuan, and a third of a Taiwanese navy sailor watching the same ship through binoculars.
Patrol Concluded, Monitoring Continues
Speaking in Taipei on Tuesday, Pan Chun-kuang from the ministry's intelligence department confirmed that the Chinese 'combat patrol' had already ended. However, Taiwan continues to track the movements of the aircraft carrier Liaoning operating in the Western Pacific and will release further details of Chinese activities as needed, he added.
China conducted a similar 'readiness patrol' last Tuesday, a day before Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te marked his second year in office. Beijing has previously labelled Lai a 'separatist' and rejected multiple offers from him for talks.
Standoff Near Pratas Islands
Over the weekend, Taiwan reported that its coast guard confronted a Chinese ship near the Pratas Islands, strategically located at the northern end of the South China Sea. On Saturday, Taiwan's National Security Council secretary general Joseph Wu took to social media to detail 100 Chinese ships currently in the first island chain, an area stretching from Japan through Taiwan to the Philippines.
