The defense ministry tracked 20 Chinese naval ships in the vicinity of the Taiwan Strait, and 13 Chinese military aircraft in Taiwan’s southwestern airspace on Tuesday morning.
This marks the highest number of Chinese naval vessels detected in the area to date. The ministry says this surge in activity may be related to joint training exercises involving China’s Shandong aircraft carrier.
Defense ministry intelligence official Huang Wen-chi (黃文啓), said in a regular press conference on Tuesday that July through September is the peak training period for the Chinese military. During this period, substantial numbers of Chinese military vessels are active not only around Taiwan but also in the South China Sea and East China Sea.
Huang says Taiwan faces maritime threats not only from the Shandong aircraft carrier but also from various Chinese warships and coast guard vessels. The Taiwanese military utilizes intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance methods to closely monitor and respond to these activities.
Huang says the defense ministry maintains precise knowledge of the Shandong aircraft carrier’s movements and training activities. Each year, the Shandong carrier engages in various training exercises that are closely monitored and understood by Taiwan's military.