Taiwan China aircraft : Taiwan Reports 36 Chinese Aircraft, 8 Naval Vessels in Vicinity

Taipei [Taiwan] Taiwan China aircraft : As of 6 a.m. (local time) on Wednesday, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence discovered 36 Chinese military aircraft, eight naval vessels, and an official ship operating within its territorial waters.

Twenty-four of the thirty-six crossed the median line and entered the northern, central, southwestern, and eastern ADIZs of Taiwan.

36 PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 24 out of 36 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded. pic.twitter.com/NVH2TJKDGy

— 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, ROC(Taiwan) 🇹🇼 (@MoNDefense) March 18, 2026

“36 PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN vessels, and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today,” the MND stated in a post on X. The northern, central, southwestern, and eastern ADIZs of Taiwan were reached by 24 of the 36 sorties that crossed the median line. We have replied and kept an eye on the situation.”

Taiwan detected 28 Chinese military aircraft sorties as of 08:01 a.m. (local time) on Tuesday. 21 of the 28 crossed the Taiwan Strait’s median line, entering the northern, central, southwestern, and eastern parts of ADIZ.

In a post on X, the MND stated that “overall 28 sorties of PLA aircraft in various types (including J-10, J-16, KJ-500, etc.) were identified since 0801hr today. 21 of 28 missions crossed the Taiwan Strait’s median line and entered the northern, central, southwestern, and eastern ADIZs to perform air-sea joint training with other PLAN boats. The ROC Armed Forces have been monitoring the situation and responding accordingly.”
China’s claim to Taiwan is a complicated topic based on historical, political, and legal reasons. Beijing claims that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China, a stance supported by national policy, domestic laws, and international comments.

Taiwan, on the other hand, has its own government, military, and economy, allowing it to operate autonomously. According to the United Service Institution of India, Taiwan’s position remains a contentious issue in international law, testing the concepts of sovereignty, self-determination, and non-interference.

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China’s claim to Taiwan dates back to 1683

China’s claim to Taiwan dates back to 1683, when the Qing Dynasty annexed the island after conquering Ming loyalist Koxinga. However, Taiwan remained a peripheral region under Qing rule. The pivotal moment occurred in 1895, when the Qing surrendered Taiwan to Japan following the First Sino-Japanese War, establishing Taiwan as a Japanese colony for 50 years. Following Japan’s defeat in World War II, Taiwan was transferred to Chinese rule, but the sovereignty transfer was not ratified.

The Chinese Civil War in 1949 saw the foundation of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on the mainland, while the Republic of China (ROC) fled to Taiwan, maintaining its claim to rule all of China. As a result, both the PRC and the ROC claimed sovereignty over the mainland and Taiwan, respectively. Taiwan has operated as a de facto independent state, but has avoided declaring formal independence to avoid armed conflict with the PRC, according to the United Service Institution of India.