Taiwan Reported 103 Chinese Military Aircraft Around the Island in September 2023

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said it detected 103 People’s Liberation Army aircraft and nine People’s Liberation Army Navy vessels around Taiwan during the 24 hours ending at 6 a.m. on 18 September 2023.

The ministry reported that 40 of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait or entered the southwestern and southeastern parts of Taiwan’s air-defence identification zone. It said Taiwan responded by monitoring the activity and tasking combat air patrol aircraft, naval vessels and land-based missile systems.

What the median line means

The median line is an informal dividing line in the Taiwan Strait. It is not a formally agreed international boundary, but for many years it helped reduce the risk of encounters between forces operating on opposite sides of the strait. Beijing does not recognise the line and says Taiwan is part of China. Taiwan is self-governed and rejects Beijing’s claim to exercise authority over it.

Why the activity mattered

The number reported on 18 September was unusually high for that period and was viewed as part of a broader pattern of increased Chinese military activity near Taiwan. Such operations can place pressure on Taiwan’s armed forces, test response procedures and increase the risk of miscalculation.

An air-defence identification zone, or ADIZ, is not the same as sovereign airspace. It is a wider area in which authorities seek early identification of approaching aircraft. Reporting an aircraft inside the ADIZ therefore does not necessarily mean that it entered Taiwan’s territorial airspace.

Source:

Taiwan Ministry of National Defense, “PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan,” 18 September 2023: https://www.mnd.gov.tw/en/Publication/81994

Editorial note: Originally published on 19 September 2023 and rewritten on 25 September 2026 as an original archived summary. The original publication date has been retained.