China air activity near Taiwan drops ahead of talks

Military flights by China around Taiwan have dropped sharply in recent weeks, with no aircraft detected near the island for nearly a week, according to Taiwanese government data.

The sudden decline in activity marks a break from what had been daily patrols by Chinese warplanes, raising questions about whether Beijing is temporarily easing pressure on Taipei, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

So far this year, China has sent 460 military aircraft, including fighter jets and drones, into Taiwan’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ).

That figure represents a 46.5% decrease compared with the same period last year, according to data compiled by the research group Secure Taiwan Associate Corporation.

In February alone, Taiwan detected 190 Chinese aircraft, the lowest monthly total since Taiwan’s defence ministry began publishing detailed flight data in 2022.

Taiwanese officials say no Chinese military aircraft have approached the island since February 27, an unusually long pause.

Some Taiwanese officials believe Xi Jinping may be lowering visible military pressure ahead of a potential meeting with Donald Trump later this month.

One senior security official said Beijing could be trying to create the impression of a more peaceful stance before negotiations with Washington.

The official suggested China may hope such signals could influence U.S. decisions about continuing arms sales to Taiwan.

Analysts say other factors may also explain the sudden drop in flights.

One possibility is China’s ongoing military corruption purge, which has triggered leadership changes within the armed forces and may be affecting operational readiness.

Another theory is that the Chinese military is reviewing lessons from recent large-scale exercises around Taiwan.

Despite the reduction in air patrols, Chinese naval and coast guard operations near Taiwan have continued, according to Taiwan’s defence ministry.

Security officials in Taipei cautioned that the lull should not be interpreted as a shift in Beijing’s long-term strategy.

“Just because they are not flying now doesn’t mean they will not return,” one official said, warning that China could be preparing for larger operations in the future.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada