Taiwan detects 26 Chinese aircraft, 7 naval vessels around nation
Taipei, October 8, 2025 — Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence has reported the detection of 26 Chinese military aircraft and seven naval vessels operating in proximity to its territorial waters as of 6 a.m. local time on Wednesday, reports 24brussels. Among the 26 sorties, 18 crossed the median line, entering Taiwan’s northern, central, and southwestern Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).
The MND confirmed that it monitored the situation closely and responded accordingly, issuing a statement on social media. “26 sorties of PLA aircraft and 7 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 18 out of 26 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, central and southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly,” the Ministry stated.
This incident follows a similar occurrence on Tuesday, when the MND reported detecting 23 sorties of PLA aircraft, with 17 crossing the median line during exercises involving multiple types of aircraft, including J-16 and KJ-500. The Ministry emphasized that the ROC Armed Forces remain vigilant and have taken the necessary actions in response to these activities.
In a detailed analysis, the Ministry noted that Chinese vessels have increasingly engaged in cognitive warfare by broadcasting deceptive signals within Taiwan’s territorial waters, assessing the island’s response mechanisms. Reports indicate that several Chinese fishing vessels emitted counterfeit automatic identification system (AIS) signals, mimicking both Russian military vessels and Chinese law enforcement boats, thus complicating regional maritime security.
A report by the Institute for the Study of War highlighted data from Starboard Maritime Intelligence, which revealed that throughout August and September, the Chinese fishing boat Min Shi Yu 06718 navigated the Taiwan Strait while intermittently emitting false AIS signals, posing additional challenges to Taiwan’s defense mechanisms.
