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As of 6 a.m. local time on Monday, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) reported the detection of 36 Chinese military aircraft, eight Chinese naval vessels, and two official ships operating in areas surrounding Taiwanese territory.
According to the MND, 17 out of the 36 aircraft sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered the northern, central, and southwestern sections of Taiwan’s Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ). In an official post on the social media platform X, the MND stated, “36 PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN vessels and 2 official ships operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 17 out of 36 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, central and southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded.”
By comparison, the previous day, as of 6 a.m. Sunday, Taiwan reported detecting five Chinese military aircraft sorties, nine Chinese naval vessels, and one official Chinese ship in the vicinity of its territory. The MND emphasized that the armed forces of the Republic of China had maintained full awareness of the situation and had taken appropriate response measures. As per another statement on X, the MND posted, “5 sorties of PLA aircraft, 9 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and responded accordingly.”
Meanwhile, a separate controversy unfolded concerning cross-strait cultural relations. Taiwan’s Council of Indigenous Peoples voiced strong criticism against former legislator Yosi Takun for endorsing slogans associated with China’s “United Front” strategy during a recent appearance in the People’s Republic. The Council stated that such rhetoric misrepresents the identity of Taiwan’s indigenous population, firmly asserting that these communities do not share ancestral ties with the legendary Yellow Emperor of Chinese lore, according to reporting by the Taipei Times.
The remarks in question were made during an event held at China’s Yunnan Minzu University, where a large banner displayed the message: “Both sides of the Strait share the same ancestry, Zhonghua spirit, and are one big family.” Yosi Takun, a former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator and current professor at National Dong Hwa University, participated in the event and reportedly described the minority cultures as a vital part of Chinese civilisation.
Taiwan’s Council of Indigenous Peoples promptly rejected that narrative. The council clarified that Taiwan’s indigenous peoples are part of the Austronesian ethnolinguistic family and have no ancestral link to the Yellow Emperor or the Han Chinese. “Taiwan’s indigenous peoples are not descendants of the Yellow Emperor,” the council stated emphatically. They emphasized that these communities are linguistically and culturally Austronesian, and distinct from the Sino-Tibetan linguistic heritage. The council further condemned Yosi’s remarks, reiterating that any cross-strait exchanges involving indigenous communities must be grounded in mutual respect, equality, and free from political manipulation.
