Map Shows China's Latest Military Moves Around Dangerous Flashpoint

China this week kept up its military maneuvers in the sea and airspace around Taiwan, including near-daily probing flights by Chinese warplane into the island's air defense identification zone.

Since January 1, 26 Chinese warplanes have been detected inside Taiwan's ADIZ, according to the Defense Ministry in Taipei. The Taiwanese government also has been following increasingly numerous balloons—suspected weather-monitoring devices—which have flown close to the island or at times directly through its airspace in recent weeks. Their precise purpose was unknown.

Beijing claims Taiwan as its own despite Taipei's strong rejections. Successive Chinese leaders have sought to entice or coerce the island and its 23 million people into a future political union, and all have refused to rule out the use of force to achieve the ultimate goal of "national unification."

The aerial pressure campaign conducted by the Chinese People's Liberation Army aircraft began in the fall of 2020 after the administration of former President Donald Trump dispatched cabinet-level officials to Taiwan. China's warships joined the maneuvers in August 2020, following the historic and high-profile visit to the island by then-House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

Chinese warplanes also began crossing the Taiwan Strait's median line at higher frequencies than in decades past.

The most recent activity, however, remains modest and appeared to speak to a wait-and-see response to the presidential election victory this month of Taiwan's Vice President Lai Ching-te, a staunch China skeptic who was Beijing's least favorite candidate in the three-way contest.

Lai's win on January 13 means the governing Democratic Progressive Party will remain in power for a third consecutive presidential term. Lai has pledged to maintain the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, but China's officials continue to accuse his party of pushing for the island's formal independence—a political red line for Beijing and a move not supported by the United States, Taipei strongest international backer.

In the week to January 22, Taiwan recorded 19 PLA aircraft incursions into its ADIZ, the Defense Ministry data showed.

Since the ministry began publishing ADIZ activity in September 2020, the Chinese military has flown about 4,800 warplanes sortied around Taiwan, according to a database maintained by U.S.-based analysts Gerald C. Brown, Benjamin Lewis and Alex Kung.

Although China carried out a major intrusion into Taiwan's ADIZ last week with 11 sorties in a 24-hour window, January's 36 sorties to date could result in the lowest level of monthly activity since August 2021, when Taipei recorded 34 sorties, Lewis told Newsweek.

An ADIZ is a self-declared buffer zone drawn over international airspace. In Asia, it is also used by China, Japan and South Korea, whose governments expect passing military aircraft to declare their presence.

Taiwan's Defense Ministry last week began using a new map to illustrate the ADIZ intrusions, which remain outside of the island's territorial airspace. Observers said the government was reducing transparency by removing the estimated flight paths of Chinese planes and drones.

China watchers say the military maneuvers aim to undermine the Taiwanese government's de facto control of surrounding sea and airspace, exhaust Taiwan's armed forces, and inflict a psychological toll on its public.

Lai, who contested the presidency against Hou Yu-ih of the main opposition Kuomintang party and third party candidate Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People's Party, has vowed to continue Taiwan's policies of strengthening its self-defense and bolstering its democratic institutions in the face of increasing pressure from Beijing.

China has labeled Lai and his running mate, Taiwan's former representative to Washington, Hsiao Bi-khim, Taiwan independence advocates, although both insist Taiwan's people seek no change to the island's political status.

Lai, who said he remained open to dialogue with Beijing, was elected with just over 40 percent of the votes, while all three parties currently hold respective meaningful shares of the island's legislature, with neither capturing a majority.

Lai and Hsiao will be inaugurated this May.