The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been frequently sending military aircraft to provoke Taiwan, the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of China stated. From 6 a.m. on the 7th until 6 a.m. today (8th), there were 19 cases of CCP aircraft crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait, and the Taiwanese military closely monitored and responded to these activities.
CCP leader Xi Jinping has not abandoned the idea of using force against Taiwan. In his New Year’s greeting for 2025, he claimed, “No one can stop the momentum of reunification.” The CCP has been dispatching military aircraft and vessels near the Taiwan Strait, as well as employing gray zone tactics to harass Taiwan. According to a report by the Financial Times, China is accelerating the process of Taiwanese residents applying for the “Three Cards” – including residency permits, bank cards, and local mobile phone cards, and further issuing local identity cards exclusively for Chinese citizens to Taiwan residents.
President of the Republic of China, Lai Ching-te, warned the public in his New Year’s speech not to be tempted by short-term benefits of Chinese identity. He emphasized, “There is a saying in Taiwan, ‘The things that come for free are the most expensive.'” He cautioned that choosing Chinese identity could lead to missing opportunities to engage internationally. He cited examples of Chinese citizens illegally immigrating to other countries as a reminder for Taiwanese people to cherish their democratic and freedom values and avoid falling into misguided paths.
The Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of China released information on the recent activities of Chinese military forces in the airspace near Taiwan. From 6 a.m. on the 7th to 6 a.m. today, a total of 25 cases of Chinese military aircraft (19 of which crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait into the northern, southwestern, and eastern airspace) along with 9 Chinese military vessels have been detected conducting operations near the Taiwan Strait. The Taiwanese military has been closely monitoring and responding to these activities using airborne and naval assets, as well as missile defense systems.
In addition, the Ministry of National Defense of Taiwan reported the sighting of a drifting Chinese balloon. On the 7th, at 1:15 p.m., a balloon was spotted northwest of Keelung at a distance of 97 nautical miles and an altitude of 19,000 feet before disappearing at 2:20 p.m. on the same day.
On the 7th, at 5:20 p.m., the Ministry of National Defense of Taiwan issued a press release stating that starting from 12:55 p.m., a total of 24 sorties involving various types of Chinese fighter jets, surveillance aircraft, and drones, including J-16 and KJ-500, were detected operating in the sea area. Eighteen of these operations crossed the median line and entered Taiwanese airspace in the north, central, southwestern, and eastern regions to accompany the Chinese vessels in conducting “joint combat readiness patrols.” The Taiwanese military utilized comprehensive surveillance measures to closely monitor the situation and deployed aircraft, naval assets, and missile defense systems for appropriate responses.
Furthermore, the Ministry of National Defense of Taiwan mentioned that on the 7th at 4 a.m., China launched a carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan, with its path directed towards the Western Pacific from central Taiwan at an altitude outside the atmosphere, posing no threat to Taiwan. The Taiwanese military used comprehensive surveillance systems to closely monitor the related activities and remained on guard for any potential risks.