Taiwan’s defense officials announced Sunday that Chinese military aircraft have resumed large-scale operations around the island following a puzzling two-week break that left analysts questioning Beijing’s strategy.
According to Taiwan’s defense ministry, 26 Chinese military planes were spotted in the Taiwan Strait during a 24-hour monitoring period. This marks the most significant aerial activity since February 25, when Taiwanese forces tracked 30 aircraft during what Beijing described as a “joint combat readiness patrol.”
The island nation typically observes daily Chinese military aircraft movements, including fighter jets, drones, and other warplanes circling its territory, as Beijing considers the democratically-run island part of its sovereign territory. Weather conditions usually account for any brief interruptions in these flights.
However, from February 27 through March 7, Taiwan documented a complete halt in Chinese aircraft activity. When flights resumed on March 7, only two planes were detected in Taiwan’s southwestern airspace, followed by minimal sporadic incidents.
Chinese officials have remained silent about the reasoning behind the temporary suspension and declined to provide comment when contacted Sunday.
Tensions escalated over the weekend when China’s Taiwan Affairs Office issued a sharp rebuke to Taiwan President Lai Ching-te following his Saturday speech advocating for increased defense expenditures and democratic protection.
“People like Lai Ching-te should not miscalculate; if they dare to take reckless risks, they will dig their own grave,” a spokesperson for the office declared.
Taipei-based officials and regional experts have proposed various theories for the aircraft withdrawal, ranging from Beijing’s potential strategy adjustment before U.S. President Donald Trump’s scheduled China visit from March 31, to President Xi Jinping’s ongoing removal of high-ranking Chinese military commanders.
Taiwan Defense Minister Wellington Koo emphasized that despite the temporary aircraft absence, Chinese naval vessels continued patrolling around the island, maintaining the overall security threat.
Taiwan’s leadership continues to dispute Beijing’s territorial claims over the island.
