In a recent interview with NBC News, Gen. Kevin Schneider, who leads the U.S. Air Forces in the Indo-Pacific, revealed that Chinese military flights near Taiwan have surged by 300 percent over the last five months.
Schneider explained that since Taiwan’s new president, Lai Ching-te, took office in May, there has been an uptick in air activities, with Chinese aircraft regularly entering Taiwan’s air defense identification zone and crossing the center line of the Taiwan Strait.
Gen. Kevin Schneider reports a 300% increase in Chinese military flights near Taiwan over five months
The increased military presence comes as Taiwan has voiced concerns over a potential invasion by China, particularly focusing on the year 2027, although uncertainty remains over whether such an attack will take place. Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered his forces to prepare for the possibility, though it remains unclear when or if the attack would occur.
Figures from Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense, compiled by NBC News, show a sharp rise in violations of Taiwan’s airspace. From May to November 2023, China crossed the line into Taiwan’s air defense zone over 330 times, with that number skyrocketing to at least 1,085 times in the same period the following year.
Schneider, who oversees U.S. airmen in several regions, including Japan, South Korea, and Guam, identified Beijing as his primary challenge. He emphasized the troubling nature of Chinese military behavior, describing it as both bullying and aggressive.
