Taipei [Taiwan], July 8 : Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense detected four Chinese naval vessels operating around its territorial waters as of 6 am (local time) on Tuesday.
Contrary to the usual, there were no Chinese aircraft.
In a post on X, the MND said, "4 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. Illustration of flight path is not provided due to no PLA aircraft operating around Taiwan were detected during this timeframe."
https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1942388168801804484
Earlier on Monday, Taiwan detected six Chinese Naval vessels around its territory.
In a post on X, the MND stated, "6 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. Illustration of flight path is not provided due to no PLA aircraft operating around Taiwan were detected during this timeframe."
https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1942025775739523514
Meanwhile, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has strongly urged China to engage in immediate talks over its unilateral launch of the W121 flight corridor, an extension of the contested M503 route, according to Focus Taiwan.
MAC officials say Beijing's latest move not only undermines prior cross-strait consensus and public opinion in Taiwan but significantly destabilises air safety in the Taiwan Strait and the surrounding Asia-Pacific region. Under International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) regulations, any route adjustments must involve coordination with all affected airspace authorities, coordination that Taiwan says did not occur.
China's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson, Chen Binhua, defended the W121 route, claiming its objective was to "benefit people on both sides of the strait" by reducing flight congestion, improving safety, and protecting travellers. However, the MAC countered that Beijing's international flight volumes have yet to recover to pre-COVID levels, and W121 does not serve any cross-strait destinations, Focus Taiwan reported.
Taiwan's Civil Aviation Administration echoed the MAC's concerns in a statement, calling China's unilateral move "regrettable" and committing to close monitoring to secure flight safety. Officials warned that any aircraft encroaching on Taiwan's Flight Information Region would be intercepted or rerouted, in line with ICAO guidelines and recent national security protocols.