PLA ramps up Taiwan patrols after lull as Beijing slams Lai’s ‘independence confession’

The People’s Liberation Army ramped up aircraft sorties near Taiwan over the weekend, ending two weeks of relative calm just as a defiant speech by Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te drew a strong rebuke from Beijing.From 6am on Saturday to 6am on Sunday, Taiwan detected 26 PLA aircraft sorties operating around the island. Sixteen of these entered the island’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ), according to data released by Taiwan’s defence ministry on Sunday.The 26 sorties marked a peak since February 26, when Taiwan recorded 30 PLA sorties.PLA activity near the island had slowed recently, including a seven-day lull – the longest such pause since at least 2023, according to the South China Morning Post’s tally based on Taiwanese data.Analysts said the pause might have been due to several factors, including US President Donald Trump’s trip to Beijing later this month, as well as comments by Lai last month that might have signalled his caution towards Beijing.Taiwan reported two PLA sorties on Monday.