In a significant escalation of military activity, China deployed 59 warplanes and nine warships near Taiwan, marking the highest number of Chinese aircraft observed since October. This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between China and Taiwan, with China viewing Taiwan as part of its territory and Taiwan maintaining its independence.
Background: Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) Taiwan’s ADIZ, established by the United States in 1954, covers most of the Taiwan Strait, parts of Fujian, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi, and part of the East China Sea. The zone allows Taiwan to monitor and control approaching aircraft, though it is not part of Taiwan’s territorial airspace under international law. A theoretical median line, defined in 1955, divides the Taiwan Strait, but China does not recognize it and has increasingly crossed it with military aircraft.