Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense detected 40 sorties of People's Liberation Army aircraft and eight People's Liberation Army Navy vessels operating around Taiwan up until 6 a.m. UTC+8 on Dec. 18, 2025. Of the aircraft sorties, 26 crossed the median line into Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern, and eastern air defense identification zones (ADIZ), according to a ministry statement posted on X. The ministry stated it monitored the situation and responded accordingly. The detections occurred prior to the reporting window from 11:16 a.m. to 2:16 p.m. UTC on Dec. 18, but were announced within this three-hour period. No further details on the response measures were provided in the statement. The activity represents ongoing military operations by Chinese forces in the region, as tracked by Taiwan's defense authorities.
