China has Doubled Military Aircraft Flights around Taiwan; Beijing Showing Displeasure with Taiwan President

By Masatsugu Sonoda and Keiichiro Azuma/ Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondents

18:01 JST, February 12, 2025

The average daily number of Chinese military aircraft incursions into airspace around Taiwan has more than doubled since the launch of President Lai Ching-te’s administration in May last year, according to a Yomiuri Shimbun analysis of materials released by Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense.

The data indicate that China is stepping up its military pressure against Lai. China is particularly hostile toward Lai as a self-described “practical worker for Taiwan independence.”

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense has been releasing daily reports on the number of Chinese military aircraft and vessels detected around Taiwan since Aug. 6, 2022, during the second half of former President Tsai Ing-wen’s second term in office.

The Yomiuri Shimbun analyzed the data through the end of January this year.

In the Taiwan Strait between mainland China and Taiwan, the median line has served as a de facto border between the two sides. The line was devised by the U.S. military based on the China Mutual Defense, a treaty concluded in 1954 between the United States and Taiwan, which expired later. China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, does not recognize its existence.

The daily average number of Chinese military aircraft that crossed the median line or entered Taiwan’s claimed air defense identification zone (ADIZ) more than doubled from 5.0 in the period from Aug. 6, 2022, during the Tsai administration to 10.6 after Lai took office.

The daily average number of Chinese military aircraft that have been detected in a wider zone, which covers the Taiwan-claimed ADIZ, slightly increased from 13.6 to 15.5. These figures suggest that the Chinese military is increasing the number of its flights in the airspace closer to Taiwan.

The Yomiuri Shimbun’s analysis also showed that the daily average number of Chinese naval vessels spotted in the Taiwan Strait and adjacent seas also increased from 5.2 to 8.1 during the same period. Following the launch of the Lai administration, vessels of the China Coast Guard, which is called China’s “second navy,” have come to be frequently spotted.

After President Lai referred to China in addresses in May and October last year, the Chinese military conducted drills in areas surrounding Taiwan. The data showed China’s deployment of a large number of aircraft and vessels on these occasions.

The data indicated China has become active on the eastern and southern sides of Taiwan.

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense told The Yomiuri Shimbun that China “intends to show off to other countries that the Taiwan Strait is within its territory and intimidate Taiwan.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s administration is particularly hostile toward Lai, who said he was a “practical worker for Taiwan independence” when he was Taiwan’s premier. His predecessor, Tsai, had vowed to maintain the status quo of the China-Taiwan relationship.