Unannounced PLA Deployments Raise Concerns in Taiwan

China appears to be continuing unannounced military activity around Taiwan, with Taiwan’s defense ministry reporting 30 Chinese warplanes operating near the country between Thursday and Friday morning. According to the ministry, 23 of the aircraft approached closer to Taiwan’s main island. A US-based think tank said China could be attempting to make large, unannounced deployments a new normal in the Taiwan Strait. The latest activity comes as China prepares to host world leaders at the APEC summit in Shenzhen next week. Analysts say continued operations after the summit could signal a longer-term focus on regional military deployments and planning.