China increases military activity near Taiwan

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense reported increased Chinese military activity around the island, detecting four People’s Liberation Army aircraft and six People’s Liberation Army Navy vessels operating near Taiwan throughout Sunday and Monday. Two of the aircraft entered Taiwan’s southwestern and eastern Air Defense Identification Zones (ADIZ).

This military activity occurs ahead of a scheduled meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on September 24. While the meeting date has been announced by Trump, Beijing has not yet formally confirmed the visit.

In response to ongoing pressure from Beijing, Taiwan is accelerating its military buildup. President Lai Ching-te recently announced that Taiwan is preparing to spend a record NT$1 trillion (approximately $31 billion) on defense in 2027.