Overview
- Taiwan’s defence ministry said late Monday it detected between 21 and 29 Chinese aircraft, including J-16 fighters and drones, plus multiple warships conducting a 'joint combat readiness patrol' around the island.
- Taipei scrambled fighter jets and navy ships to monitor the activity and released photos showing PLA fighters trailing a Y-20 aerial refueller and the Chinese warship Yinchuan.
- Joseph Wu, Taiwan’s national security chief, reported spotting the Liaoning carrier group and said more than 100 Chinese ships were operating along the first island chain, calling Beijing the 'sole source of instability.'
- China’s defence ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the patrol, and Taiwan reported dozens of sorties crossed the unofficial median line in the Taiwan Strait.
- The patrols follow high-level talks between Xi Jinping and President Trump and come as U.S.-Taiwan arms and diplomatic moves face scrutiny, raising the prospect of greater regional tension and the need to watch for further PLA activity.