China launches military drone towards Taiwan for the first time

On the morning of Saturday, January 17, a Chinese military drone flew into Taiwanese airspace for the first time, spending several minutes there near Pratas Island.

This is reported by Bloomberg.

According to Taiwanʼs defense ministry, the Chinese reconnaissance drone was in the airspace of Pratas Island for about four minutes. The island is located in the southern part of the Taiwan Strait, about 400 km from the mainland of Taiwan.

The drone was flying at an altitude beyond the reach of Taiwanese air defenses. After warnings, which Taiwan transmitted on international radio frequencies, the drone left the area.

The Chinese military said on social media that the flight was a "legal and legitimate training exercise".

Taiwanʼs Defense Ministry said the incident was another example of military pressure from Beijing. Taiwan rejects Chinaʼs claims to its territory and, under President Lai Tsing-de, has been strengthening its defenses to deter a possible attack.

Relations between China, Taiwan and the United States

Tensions in the Asia-Pacific region are rising amid Chinaʼs threats to seize Taiwan, a US ally. The ruling Communist Party considers Taiwan part of its territory. Beijing has increasingly promised to "reunify" the island with mainland China by 2022.

According to Taiwanʼs Ministry of Defense, Chinese military aircraft enter Taiwanʼs air defense zone more than 245 times a month — five years ago, there were at most 10 such "visits". In addition, approximately 120 crossings of the median line in the Taiwan Strait are recorded every month. In March 2023, Chinese leader Xi Jinping called on Chinaʼs troops to prepare for war, and on the eve of 2024 said that "reunification" is inevitable. Taiwanʼs Foreign Ministry predicts a possible attack by China in 2027.

This summer, US President Donald Trump refused to approve more than $400 million in military aid to Taiwan, citing his desire to negotiate a trade deal with China and meet in person with its leader Xi Jinping.

On December 26, China imposed sanctions on 20 American defense companies and 10 individuals in response to arms sales to Taiwan.

In December, Chinaʼs military conducted combat exercises around Taiwan after the US announced an $11 billion military aid package for Taipei — one of the largest ever.

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