Chinese Military Sorties Around Taiwan Hit Single-Day High for 2026

Taiwan's defense ministry says it detected 49 Chinese military aircraft, six naval vessels and six official ships operating around Taiwan between Monday and Tuesday morning. According to the ministry, 31 of the aircraft crossed into areas closer to Taiwan's main island. The ministry said the total number of aircraft detected was the highest recorded in a single 24-hour period so far in 2026. It was also the second-highest number of aircraft approaching Taiwan's main island this year. TaiwanPlus spoke with Su Tzu-yun of the Institute for National Defense and Security Research on the reason for the spike in Chinese military activity.