Chinese military aircraft incursions near Taiwan have surged nearly 15-fold over the past five years, according to a report by the Department of China Affairs of Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Sorties in the Taiwan Strait have escalated from 380 in 2020 to 5,709 in 2025, reflecting a systematic increase in Beijing’s operations in the region.

The report emphasized that the Taiwan Strait has become both a starting point and testing ground for China’s broader expansionist ambitions. The consistent rise in sorties, from routine patrols to complex drills, illustrates China’s intent to alter the regional “status quo” and pressure Taiwan’s defense capabilities.

China conducted large-scale exercises in 2025, including the ‘Strait Thunder-2025A’ in April and ‘Justice Mission 2025’ in December, approaching Taiwan’s 12-nautical-mile territorial baseline. The drills included joint air-sea operations, blockades, and precision strike simulations, signaling high-intensity operational capabilities aimed at testing deterrence and strategic reach.

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The report also highlighted China’s wider military assertiveness, including activities near the Diaoyutai Islands, South China Sea, and the Yellow Sea. Beijing’s ‘Victory Day Parade’ in September 2025 further showcased its ambitions, while Taiwan’s National Security Bureau (NSB) flagged extensive cognitive warfare campaigns aimed at shaping public perception and sowing divisions within Taiwan.

In 2025, Taiwan identified over 45,000 fake social media accounts and 2.3 million disinformation posts orchestrated by Chinese IT firms under the direction of the PRC’s Central Publicity Department and Ministry of Public Security. These operations sought to manipulate Taiwanese public opinion, weaken resistance, and influence the stance of Taiwan’s allies.

Taiwan has intensified cooperation with fact-checking organizations and social media platforms to counter disinformation. The report warns that China’s combined military and cognitive warfare activities pose a serious threat to peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific region, highlighting the urgent need for regional vigilance and international awareness.

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