Taiwan reports sharp drop in Chinese jet sorties but sees July flare‑up

In the first half of 2026, Taiwan’s defence ministry recorded 1,334 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) fighter‑jet sorties near the island, a more than 50 % decline from the previous year and the lowest operational tempo since 2023. The number of days with no PLA jets detected reached a new high, and Beijing did not conduct any large‑scale drills around Taiwan for the first time since 2022.

Nonetheless, on 23 July 2026 the ministry detected a sudden rise in activity, with 21 PLA aircraft and six People’s Liberation Army Navy vessels operating near Taiwan. Twenty of the aircraft crossed the median line into Taiwan’s air defence identification zone, prompting heightened alerts and a vocal response from Taiwan’s armed forces.

The contrasting trends illustrate ongoing volatility in cross‑strait relations, with periods of reduced pressure punctuated by episodic escalations.