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Amber Wang

The People’s Liberation Army ramped up aircraft sorties near Taiwan over the weekend, ending two weeks of relative calm just as a defiant speech by Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te drew a strong rebuke from Beijing.
From 6am on Saturday to 6am on Sunday, Taiwan detected 26 PLA aircraft sorties operating around the island. Sixteen of these entered the island’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ), according to data released by Taiwan’s defence ministry on Sunday.
The 26 sorties marked a peak since February 26, when Taiwan recorded 30 PLA sorties.
PLA activity near the island had slowed recently, including a seven-day lull – the longest such pause since at least 2023, according to the South China Morning Post’s tally based on Taiwanese data.
Analysts said the pause might have been due to several factors, including US President Donald Trump’s trip to Beijing later this month, as well as comments by Lai last month that might have signalled his caution towards Beijing.
Taiwan reported two PLA sorties on Monday.


The surge over the weekend coincided with Lai’s speech at an event marking the 30th anniversary of Taiwan’s first direct election.
In his Saturday speech, Lai said the direct elections “demonstrated that Taiwan is a sovereign, independent country”. He added that the island must strengthen its defence capabilities in response to threats from mainland China.
Lai said he had allocated a special defence budget of NT$1.25 trillion (US$39 billion) over eight years, averaging NT$156 billion per year.
“With Taiwan’s economic growth, we can absolutely afford it,” he said.
Beijing’s reaction was quick and strong.
Later on Saturday, Chen Binhua, spokesman for Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office, described Lai’s speech as a “Taiwan independence confession”, saying it fully exposed his “stubborn and unyielding” independence stance.
Chen accused Lai of “inciting cross-strait confrontation and antagonism, completely distorting Taiwan’s history and deviating from basic facts”.
“Its essence is to undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and push Taiwan towards war.”
“We will never allow anyone or any force to use the guise of democracy to pursue the scheme of Taiwan independence. People like Lai Ching-te should not miscalculate – anyone who dares to take reckless risks will inevitably bring about their own destruction,” Chen warned.
Taiwan’s parliament on Friday authorised the government to sign four arms deals with the United States ahead of approaching deadlines.
The packages cover M109A7 self-propelled howitzers, Himars rocket launchers, Tow-2B anti-tank missiles and Javelin missiles.
Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party has proposed a NT$1.25 trillion special defence budget, which remains stalled in the opposition-controlled legislature.
Previously, some Taiwanese officials said Beijing was scaling down its military pressure on the island to discourage the passing of the defence budget.
Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited with the mainland, by force if necessary. Most countries, including the US, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the self-governed island by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons.


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News

China

Military

Beijing sends 26 sorties over the weekend, coinciding with comments by Taiwanese leader claiming the island is ‘sovereign’


Beijing sends 26 sorties over the weekend, coinciding with comments by Taiwanese leader claiming the island is ‘sovereign’.


United States

Chen Binhua

William Lai Ching-te

Taiwan Affairs Office

PLA ramps up Taiwan patrols after lull as Beijing slams Lai’s ‘independence confession’

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Beijing sends 26 sorties over the weekend, coinciding with comments by Taiwanese leader claiming the island is ‘sovereign’

Beijing sends 26 sorties over the weekend, coinciding with comments by Taiwanese leader claiming the island is ‘sovereign’