PLA Posts 12 Sorties on May 8 — 10 Cross Median Line Into N/SW/E ADIZ; 6 PLAN Vessels + 2 Official Ships; Continued Elevated Activity 6 Days to Trump-Xi Summit

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense reported 12 PLA aircraft sorties in its daily 06:00 local time snapshot on May 8, 2026, with 10 of 12 sorties crossing the Taiwan Strait median line and entering Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone in the northern, southwestern, and eastern sectors. 6 PLAN vessels and 2 official ships continued operating around Taiwan. The May 8 sortie count represents continued elevated activity following the May 7 re-escalation spike (22 sorties, 18 crossing median line) and remains well above the zero-sortie day on May 6, indicating PLA is sustaining meaningful pressure without repeating the dramatic spikes of May 7 and May 2 (29 sorties). The May sortie sequence: 4 (May 1) → 29 new non-exercise record (May 2) → 1 (May 3) → 2 (May 4) → 1 (May 5) → 0 (May 6) → 22 (May 7) → 12 (May 8). With 6 days remaining before the Trump-Xi Beijing summit (May 14-15), PLA's sustained elevated activity frames the diplomatic context as Taiwan's Legislative Yuan passed the NT$780 billion special defense budget the same day. ROC Armed Forces monitored the situation and responded by dispatching combat air patrol aircraft, naval vessels, and coastal missile systems.