Taiwan ADIZ Violations in 2023 — Monthly Totals, Peak Days and Records
Overview
Every PLA aircraft that Taiwan's ministry of national defense reported inside its air defense identification zone during 2023, month by month: the busiest days, how the year compares with the rest of the campaign, and the incidents behind the spikes.
2023 Month by Month
| Month | Total | Daily avg | Peak day |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 126 | 4.1 | 28 · 8 Jan |
| February | 113 | 4.0 | 19 · 28 Feb |
| March | 122 | 3.9 | 21 · 1 Mar |
| April | 259 | 8.6 | 54 · 10 Apr |
| May | 125 | 4.0 | 15 · 9 May |
| June | 109 | 3.6 | 37 · 8 Jun |
| July | 163 | 5.3 | 32 · 11 Jul |
| August | 130 | 4.2 | 27 · 19 Aug |
| September | 225 | 7.5 | 40 · 13 Sep |
| October | 141 | 4.5 | 37 · 31 Oct |
| November | 110 | 3.7 | 20 · 2 Nov |
| December | 80 | 2.6 | 15 · 7 Dec |
Busiest Days of 2023
| Date | ADIZ aircraft | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 10 April | 54 | China launches Joint Sword exercises encircling Taiwan after Tsai-McCarthy meeting |
| 8 April | 45 | China launches Joint Sword exercises encircling Taiwan after Tsai-McCarthy meeting |
| 13 September | 40 | No incident logged within 3 days |
| 17 September | 40 | No incident logged within 3 days |
| 8 June | 37 | No incident logged within 3 days |
| 31 October | 37 | No incident logged within 3 days |
| 9 April | 35 | China launches Joint Sword exercises encircling Taiwan after Tsai-McCarthy meeting |
| 11 July | 32 | No incident logged within 3 days |
| 8 January | 28 | No incident logged within 3 days |
| 19 August | 27 | No incident logged within 3 days |
Incidents Logged in 2023
| Date | Type | Incident |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Feb | Infrastructure | Both undersea internet cables to Taiwan's Matsu Islands severed by China-linked vessels |
| 8 Apr | Exercise | China launches Joint Sword exercises encircling Taiwan after Tsai-McCarthy meeting |
Reading the Numbers
2023 recorded 1,703 aircraft, an average of 4.7 per day. That is 2% below the 1,738 recorded in 2022.
Among the 5 complete years on record, 2023 ranks as the 4th-busiest.
The busiest month was April with 259 aircraft. It coincides with a logged incident: China launches Joint Sword exercises encircling Taiwan after Tsai-McCarthy meeting.
The peak day of the year — 54 aircraft on April 10 — compares with the year's daily average of 4.7. Activity was reported on 271 of the 365 days covered (74%).
The longest pause of the year was 11 consecutive days without a single reported entry, starting August 30.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many PLA aircraft in Taiwan's ADIZ were recorded in 2023?
1,703 aircraft were recorded over the course of 2023, an average of 4.7 per day.
What was the busiest day of 2023?
The peak was 54 aircraft on April 10, 2023. It came within days of a logged incident: China launches Joint Sword exercises encircling Taiwan after Tsai-McCarthy meeting.
How does 2023 compare with 2022?
2023's total of 1,703 is 2% lower than the 1,738 recorded in 2022.
Sources: Taiwan Ministry of National Defense - PLA activities reports · Gerald C. Brown & Benjamin Lewis, Taiwan ADIZ Violations, PLATracker