Taiwan: 30 Chinese military planes detected around the island. Twenty of the thirty planes entered the air defense identification zone.
Taiwan is an autonomous island that Beijing claims as part of its territory and which it wants to take control of one day, by force if necessary. These actions have intensified since the 2016 election of President Tsai Ing-wen, who considers Taiwan to be de facto “already independent,” a red line for Beijing. The increase in incursions by Chinese aircraft is part of what experts call the “gray zone” strategy.