Taiwan deployed fighter jets and naval vessels to monitor a second Chinese “joint combat readiness patrol” near the island within a week, as tensions across the Indo-Pacific continue to escalate.
Taiwanese officials said the latest military activity highlighted growing pressure from China and reinforced concerns about regional stability following recent discussions between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this month in Beijing.
China claims democratically governed Taiwan as part of its territory, a position firmly rejected by Taipei.
Taiwan Scrambles Jets and Ships After Chinese Patrol
Taiwan’s defense ministry said late Monday that it detected 21 Chinese military aircraft operating around the island, including J-16 fighter jets and drones conducting coordinated operations with Chinese naval vessels.
The ministry described the activity as a “joint combat readiness patrol,” prompting Taiwan to dispatch fighter aircraft and naval ships to monitor the movements.
Taiwan also released images captured by its military, including photographs taken from an F-16 Fighting Falcon showing Chinese fighter jets escorting a Y-20 aerial refueling aircraft, as well as pictures of the Chinese warship Yinchuan.
The patrol marked the second such operation in just one week.
Taiwan Says China Is Driving Regional Instability
Joseph Wu said China’s military actions were “unprovoked” and accused Beijing of destabilizing the Indo-Pacific region.
Writing on X, Wu said the People’s Republic of China was “the sole source of instability in the Indo-Pacific.”
Taiwanese officials have been closely monitoring Chinese military deployments after reports that more than 100 Chinese ships had been positioned along the so-called “first island chain,” a strategically significant area stretching from Japan through Taiwan and into the Philippines.
Officials said many of those vessels remain deployed in the region.
Liaoning Carrier Group Under Surveillance
Taiwan’s defense ministry confirmed it is continuing to track the movements of China’s aircraft carrier Liaoning and its accompanying strike group operating in the Western Pacific.
The carrier’s activities have become a major focus for Taiwan’s military planners as Beijing expands the range and scale of its naval operations.
China’s defense ministry did not immediately comment on the latest patrol activity.
Experts Warn of Growing Military Risks
Security analysts in Taiwan warned that Chinese naval deployments are becoming increasingly aggressive and potentially more dangerous.
Institute for National Defence and Security Research analyst Su Tzu-yun said Chinese warships equipped with cruise missiles have recently operated as close as 24 nautical miles from Taiwan’s coastline during combat patrols.
He warned that ship-launched sea-skimming missiles are difficult to detect and could significantly reduce Taiwan’s response time in the event of an attack.
“If China were to use this kind of surprise missile attack, it could temporarily paralyse Taiwan,” Su said.
Tensions Extend to the South China Sea
The latest developments also follow a recent confrontation involving coast guard vessels near the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands, a strategically located island group near the northern edge of the South China Sea.
Taiwan said its coast guard encountered a Chinese coast guard ship near the islands over the weekend, adding to concerns about rising maritime tensions across the region.
What’s Next?
Military analysts expect China to continue increasing pressure on Taiwan through regular naval and air patrols, particularly as Beijing seeks to demonstrate its military reach and reinforce its sovereignty claims.
Taiwan, meanwhile, is likely to maintain a heightened state of alert while strengthening coordination with regional partners and monitoring Chinese carrier operations in nearby waters.
The repeated combat patrols are expected to further intensify tensions across the Indo-Pacific, where concerns over maritime security, territorial disputes and military escalation continue to grow.
With information from Reuters.
