TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND, 國防部) on Monday (Oct. 14) detected 25 People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, 7 People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels, and 4 official ships operating around Taiwan over the past 24 hours.
From 6 a.m. Sunday to 8 a.m. Monday, 16 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's southwestern and eastern ADIZ. The ministry emphasized that the military used mission aircraft, ships, and land-based missile systems to closely monitor and respond to these movements.
Following President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) remarks during the National Day celebration, where he reiterated that the People's Republic of China has no authority to represent the Republic of China, China launched the "Joint Sword-2024B" (聯合利劍-2024B) military exercise around Taiwan.
This exercise follows a similar two-day "Joint Sword-2024A" (聯合利劍-2024A) drill, conducted after Lai's inauguration. Li Xi (李熹), spokesman for the PLA Eastern Theater Command, stated earlier today that the military exercises involved multi-directional approaches to Taiwan island and joint assaults by various military branches.
