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Taiwan's Ministry of Defense detected seven sorties of Chinese military aircraft, eight military vessels and one official ship around its territorial waters as of 6 am (local time) on Saturday.
As per the MND, of the seven sorties, three crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern ADIZ. In a post on X, the MND said, "7 sorties of PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 3 out of 7 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded." https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1976831403540275572 Earlier on Friday, eight sorties of PLA aircraft and nine vessels were detected. Of the eight sorties, four crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, southwestern and southeastern ADIZ. In a post on X, MND said, "8 sorties of PLA aircraft and 9 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 4 out of 8 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, southwestern and southeastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded." https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1976452629828898972 A leading Taiwanese defence analyst has rejected the notion that China could effectively blockade Taiwan with only a handful of submarines, arguing that such a military manoeuvre is both logistically and strategically implausible, as reported by Taipei Times. According to Taipei Times, a seminar hosted by the Institute of International Relations at National Chengchi University, Alexander Huang, a strategic studies scholar at Tamkang University, challenged the claim made by China affairs expert Willy Lam. Lam, a senior fellow at The Jamestown Foundation, had stated at a symposium in Washington that China could impose a naval blockade around Taiwan simply by deploying four or five submarines. Huang questioned the sustainability of such a blockade, emphasising that even nuclear-powered submarines have operational limitations. "A nuclear submarine can stay submerged for extended periods, but the crew still needs food, rest, and rotation. No vessel can maintain its position forever," he said. Huang further warned that a blockade, if attempted, would expose Chinese submarines to severe risks. "It's not only about sustaining the blockade, but also about whether those submarines could return safely. Other nations' naval forces could easily obstruct their path back to Chinese ports," he noted, adding that Taiwan has the capability to strike back if necessary. (ANI)
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