2025/07/08
Ministry of National Defense Statement on the PLA’s Joint Combat Readiness Patrol
Ministry of National Defense Press Release
Time: 1400 hours, July 8, 2025
The Ministry of National Defense stated today (July 8) that, starting at 0730 hours, it successively detected 20 sorties of various types of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) main and auxiliary aircraft, including J-16 fighters, KJ-500 AEW&C aircraft, and drones, conducting activities at sea, of which 13 sorties crossed the median line and its extension, entering Taiwan’s northern, central, and southwestern airspace, and, in coordination with PLA vessels, conducted harassment operations around Taiwan’s air and sea domains under the pretext of a so-called “joint combat readiness patrol.” The ROC Armed Forces employed joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance measures to closely monitor the situation and dispatched mission aircraft, vessels, and shore-based missile systems to appropriately respond.