The limit has been crossed. “From 11 a.m., multiple groups of warplanes and warships Chinese conducted exercises around the Strait of Taiwan and crossed the middle line of the strait,” the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
Taipei reported a spike of 49 Chinese aerial incursions into its Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Wednesday and Thursday, including 44 from beyond the center line. “This Chinese military exercise, whether launching ballistic missiles or the deliberate crossing of the median line of the strait, is a highly provocative act,” he continued.
Question sensible
An unofficial border between Taiwan and mainland China, the median line was once tacitly respected by both armies and it was rare for Chinese military planes or ships to cross it. But Chinese incursions have multiplied since Beijing declared, in 2020, that this unofficial border no longer existed.
The question of crossing the line is sensitive because the Taiwan Strait is narrow – only 130 km in places – and incursions increase the risk of accidental armed confrontation.
