TAIPEI — Taiwan’s military is tracking what it calls an “unprovoked” Chinese combat patrol near the island, the second such incident in a week, officials said Tuesday, as cross-strait tensions spiral following a period of relative diplomatic quiet.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said its forces were monitoring the situation and “responding accordingly” after detecting multiple Chinese warplanes and naval vessels operating near the island’s air defense identification zone. The ministry did not specify the exact number of aircraft involved but described the patrol as a “joint combat readiness patrol” — language consistent with the drills China has staged near Taiwan in recent months.
“China’s actions are provocations that undermine regional stability,” a ministry spokesperson said. “Taiwan’s military is on high alert and capable of defending itself.”
The incident marks the second Chinese “joint combat readiness patrol” near Taiwan in a week, following a similar operation detected last Tuesday that also involved warplanes and at least one naval task force operating in the vicinity of the Taiwan Strait.
China’s People’s Liberation Army has not commented directly on Tuesday’s patrol, but state media reported Monday that Beijing remains committed to what it calls “resolving the Taiwan question” and has shown no sign of softening its military posture toward the island, which it views as a breakaway province to be reunified by force if necessary.
The escalation comes as the United States deepens its strategic ties with Taiwan. Washington has accelerated arms sales and stepped up transit visits by American officials through Taipei, drawing sharp protests from Beijing, which warns third parties against interfering in what it considers a purely internal matter.
Regional analysts say the timing of the Chinese patrols — coming as the US and China engage in broader negotiations over trade and diplomatic engagement — may be a pressure tactic, testing the response of the new administration in Taipei while gauging Washington’s willingness to push back.
“Beijing wants to show it won’t be sidelined in its own backyard,” said Dr. Mei-Ling Wu, a security analyst at the East-West Center in Honolulu. “These patrols are calibrated to be loud enough to signal resolve, but not so aggressive as to trigger an actual clash.”
Taiwan’s president has called for international support to deter what she described as “gray zone” operations by China, calling on partners in the Quad grouping — the US, Japan, India, and Australia — to increase their visibility in the region.
Japan’s Self-Defense Forces are also on heightened alert, with defense officials in Tokyo monitoring the situation closely. The incident follows a separate incident last week in which a Chinese naval vessel was tracked near the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.
The US Indo-Pacific Command said it was aware of the situation and continues to monitor developments in the Taiwan Strait region. “We remain committed to our one-China policy while also meeting our statutory obligations to provide Taiwan with defensive weapons,” a Pentagon spokesperson said.
Taiwan’s stock market dipped slightly on news of the patrol before recovering, while the Taiwanese dollar held steady against the US dollar. Officials said there was no immediate indication of disruption to civil aviation or shipping lanes.
The Taiwanese public has grown accustomed to near-daily incursions by Chinese aircraft, but the use of the phrase “joint combat readiness patrol” — a more military-sounding term than routine patrol — has raised concern among opposition lawmakers in Taipei, some of whom have called for an emergency briefing in the legislature.
China has previously described Taiwan’s democracy as a “phase” to be ended and has escalated military activity near the island since 2Breaking — Asia Pacific22, when then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei. While no direct combat has occurred, the regular patrols have increased the risk of miscalculation at a time when the island’s political landscape remains in flux ahead of regional elections.