| Date | 2 Jan 2024 |
| Tracker | China-Taiwan Tensions |
| Type | Incursion |
| Location |
Taiwan Strait
23.57, 119.58 (approximate) |
A Chinese high-altitude balloon crossed directly over Taiwan island for the first time on January 2, 2024, part of a sustained campaign of balloon overflights detected between December 2023 and April 2024 that spanned the run-up to Taiwan's January 13 presidential election. Activity peaked on February 10-11, when a record six balloons crossed the Taiwan Strait median line within 24 hours, several passing over the island. Taipei called the flights psychological pressure and an aviation-safety threat; Beijing described them as meteorological.
| Series | That day | Prior 30-day avg | Week after vs before |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADIZ aircraft | 2 -26% | 2.7 | -50% (18 → 9) |
| Aircraft detected | 9 -6% | 9.6 | +7% (59 → 63) |
| PLAN ships | 4 -26% | 5.4 | +18% (28 → 33) |
| Date | Type | Incident |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Apr 2023 | Exercise | China launches Joint Sword exercises encircling Taiwan after Tsai-McCarthy meeting |
| 14 Feb 2024 | Other | Chinese speedboat capsizes during Taiwan Coast Guard pursuit off Kinmen, killing two |
| 23 May 2024 | Exercise | China holds Joint Sword-2024A punishment drills around Taiwan after Lai inauguration |
| 14 Oct 2024 | Exercise | China's Joint Sword-2024B drills set single-day record of 153 aircraft around Taiwan |
Taiwan's Cabinet on September 3, 2026 approved a NT$145.7 billion (US$4.6 billion) defense allocation within a NT$607.63 billion supplementary budget, covering two classified programs, three uncrewed-systems programs and the Chiang Kung anti-ballistic missile system, pending a legislative vote.
President Lai Ching-te's government will ask the Legislative Yuan for NT$1.1225 trillion ($35.2 billion) in defense spending for 2027, the first Taiwanese military budget above NT$1 trillion and the first to exceed 3 percent of GDP.
Chinese military aircraft entering Taiwan's air defense identification zone fell 52 percent in the first seven months of 2026 compared with the same period of 2025, according to Taiwan's daily defense ministry reports — while PLA Navy vessel sightings dropped just 7 percent.