Chinese Ship Movements Around Taiwan Rise Sharply, 244 Recorded Last Month

Chinese military and maritime activity around Taiwan remains in focus amid tensions between China and Taiwan. According to Taiwan's Ministry of Defence, four sorties by People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, six People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels and three official ships were detected around its territory by Monday morning.

Data from Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration (CGA) shows that 244 Chinese ships were recorded in the waters around Taiwan last month. Taiwan's military is monitoring the situation.

Chinese aircraft cross median line

According to Taiwan's Ministry of Defence, four sorties, six naval vessels and three official ships of the Chinese military were seen around Taiwan's maritime and air space by 6am on Monday. The Chinese aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, central and south-western air defence zones.

A day earlier, on Sunday, 12 Chinese fighter aircraft and six warships were also spotted close to Taiwan.

Rise in Chinese ship numbers

CGA data shows that around 244 Chinese ship movements were recorded around Taiwan last month, many times higher than in May and June. This works out at an average of about eight Chinese ships a day around Taiwan. Around 60 per cent of these ships belong to the China Coast Guard.

Chinese research vessels

Experts believe China is using civilian research ships to collect data at sea. Ryan D Martinson of the US Naval War College says the data gathered by Chinese civilian vessels is passed directly to the Chinese military. The data could be used in future in anti-submarine warfare to encircle Taiwan.