China's military activity around Taiwan hits three-year low

People's Liberation Army (PLA) fighter jet detections near Taiwan dropped by more than half year-on-year to 1,334 in the first half of 2026, the lowest since 2023.

Taiwan recorded a record number of days without detecting any PLA fighter jets, and Beijing conducted no large-scale military drills around the island for the first time since 2022.

The reduction follows a peak in 2025 when PLA air sorties near Taiwan surpassed 5,400, and marks a shift from the near-daily activity established after Nancy Pelosi's 2022 visit.