Taiwan Detects 10 PLA Aircraft Sorties, 9 Crossing — Highest Since Sept 18 Drill Window, as Xi Arrives in Washington

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense detected 10 PLA aircraft sorties, 6 PLAN vessels and 6 official ships operating around Taiwan in the 24 hours to 6 a.m. (UTC+8) September 23, 2026; 9 of the 10 sorties crossed the Taiwan Strait median line, entering the southwestern and eastern ADIZ sectors. Taiwan's armed forces responded with CAP aircraft, navy ships and coastal missile systems. The tally is the highest sortie count since the Sept 18 Jioupeng-drill window high (28 sorties, 24 crossing) and roughly doubles the prior two days' totals (4 sorties each on Sept 21 and Sept 22), coinciding with Chinese President Xi Jinping's arrival in Washington for a three-day state visit.