China heightens military activity around Taiwan

Taiwan's Ministry of Defence said it detected 10 sorties of Chinese aircraft and seven Chinese vessels operating around its territorial waters as of 6am (local time).
Of the 10 sorties, eight entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern ADIZ (Air Defence Identification Zone).
In a post on X, Taiwan's MND said, '10 sorties of PLA aircraft and 7 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC 8) today. 8 out of 10 sorties entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly.'
Earlier on Wednesday, 43 sorties of PLA aircraft and 6 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected in the region.
In a post on X, MND said, '43 sorties of PLA aircraft and 6 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC 8) today. 25 out of 43 sorties entered Taiwan's northern, central and southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly.'
Meanwhile, three Taiwanese non-governmental organisations participated in a tabletop exercise on Tuesday that simulated dramatic escalations in Chinese military activity near Taiwan in 2030, including Chinese naval ships invading Taiwan's territorial seas, according to a Focus Taiwan report.
Focus Taiwan reported that the two-day exercise, which focused primarily on China's "grey zone" coercive actions that fall short of open conflict, was jointly hosted by the Taipei School of Economics and Political Science Foundation, an educational foundation; the Taipei-based think tank Centre for Peace and Security; and the Council on Strategic and Wargaming Studies (CSWS), a research institute.
Several former defence officials attended the event, including former Chief of the General Staff Lee Hsi-min, retired US Navy Admiral Michael Mullen, former US Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair, former Japanese Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff Shigeru Iwasaki, and former Chief of Staff of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Tomohisa Takei, according to a Focus Taiwan report.

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