PLA Registers 4 Sorties, All Entering SW ADIZ on May 1 — 5 PLAN Vessels + 2 Official Ships; Sustained Post-Peak Baseline 13 Days Before Trump-Xi Summit

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense reported 4 PLA aircraft sorties and 5 PLAN vessels plus 2 official ships operating around Taiwan as of 06:00 local time on May 1, 2026 — a moderate uptick from April 30's minimal 2-sortie baseline but far below the 28-sortie non-exercise peak of April 26. All 4 sorties entered Taiwan's southwestern ADIZ. The 5 PLAN vessels plus 2 official ships represent continued elevated but de-escalated naval presence. The May 1 figures fit the PLA's established post-spike oscillating pattern in the pre-Trump-Xi summit period: 28 sorties (Apr 26, non-exercise peak) → 7 (Apr 27) → 10 (Apr 29) → 2 (Apr 30) → 4 (May 1). With 13 days remaining before the Trump-Xi Beijing summit (May 14-15), PLA continues applying calibrated air and naval pressure on Taiwan. The AEI China-Taiwan update for May 1, 2026 also noted a concurrent PLA Southern Theater Command surface task group exercise east of the Luzon Strait — deploying a Type 055 destroyer, Type 052D destroyer, Type 054A frigate, and Type 903A supply vessel. That exercise was assessed as a likely response to the ongoing US-Philippines Balikatan 2026 multinational exercises (April 20 – May 8) involving forces from the Philippines, United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and France. Taiwan deployed combat air patrols, naval ships, and coastal missile systems in response to May 1 PLA activity.