Taiwan Tracks 49 Chinese Military Flights in a Day as Drills Begin
China has not announced exercises, but Taiwanese analysts called the surge 'gray zone' pressure as November and December, the PLA's peak drill season, begin.
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense detected 49 sorties by Chinese military aircraft around the island in the 24 hours to 6 a.m. Tuesday, November 3, Taiwan time, the Taipei Times reported, a sharp increase over recent days, when the ministry reported 19 aircraft and seven navy ships on November 2. China has not announced any drills. Su Tzu-yun of Taiwan's government-funded Institute for National Defense and Security Research described the activity as a 'quiet exercise' meant to keep up pressure without formally announcing drills.
Taiwan's Air Force began its annual Sky Dragon exercises on Monday, testing F-16V, Mirage 2000-5 and Indigenous Defense Fighter pilots through Friday, and troops on Kinmen, the Taiwan-held island less than 10 kilometers off China's coast, held live-fire drills, Taiwan's Central News Agency reported. Taiwan's defense ministry said in October that it was watching for possible large-scale Chinese exercises as the People's Liberation Army's November-to-December peak season approached; China last staged a large exercise encircling Taiwan in August 2022, after a visit by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Beijing regards Taiwan as part of its territory; Taiwan's government rejects that claim.
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